Monday, November 9, 2009 HELP METRO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT. RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER TODAY INSIDE TODAY Competition: Page 3 Get your Rocks on: Win designer jewels with Metro Interview: Page 16 How property site Daft.ie is coping with the slump PLUS Whats on TV tonight METRO Pages 16-17 MOUNT NEVER-RESTDublins marathon man: Page 3 BY EMMA LEWIS Fitness teacher admits murder Tragedy: Dublin-born Mary Griffiths had been friends with her murderer John McFarlane, inset, until shortly before her death A FITNESS instructor is facing life in prison this week after he admitted murdering Irish mother Mary Griffiths at her home in the UK. John McFarlane, 40, stabbed fellow fitness in- structor Mary Griffiths, 38, to death after alleg- edly pestering her with a string of phone mes- sages. Dublin-born Ms Griffiths, a divorced mother- of-three, called police at 6pm on May 5 to say she was being harassed and feared for her safe- ty. Police failed to respond until receiving an- other call nine hours later at 3am on May 6 to say she had been stabbed in the chest at her home in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. Ms Griffiths, described by her family as our beautiful, sweet angel, died later in the towns West Suffolk Hospital. McFarlane, of Bury St Edmunds, initially de- nied murder, but changed his plea to guilty on Friday at Ipswich Crown Court. His sentencing has been adjourned until this week so friends and relatives of Ms Griffiths can be present in court. McFarlane was found with a self-inflicted in- jury in his garden within minutes of Ms Grif- fiths being fatally injured. He was initially sec- tioned under the Mental Health Act, but he was later declared fit enough to stand trial. The UKs Independent Police Complaints Commission has begun an inquiry into the re- sponse of the police to Ms Griffiths initial call. The Suffolk Mental Health Partnership Trust is also examining the way it treated McFarlane. It is believed he attempted suicide before the death of Ms Griffiths, but staff from the trust decided he was fit enough to return to the com- munity as he was not considered a danger. McFarlane and Ms Griffiths had both taught fitness classes, including body combat, at lei- sure centres and gyms, and he sometimes stood in for her when she could not attend. The pair were understood to have had a friendship until shortly before Ms Griffiths was murdered. More than 100 mourners, including around 30 relatives from Ireland, attended Ms Griffiths funeral at St Edmunds the Martyr Catholic Church in Bury St Edmunds. Family members and friends wept and hugged each other for support before the private service, which was followed by a cremation. A floral tribute from her daughters Jessica, 13, Sophie, nine, and Hannah, eight, spelt out the word Mum. The three girls are believed to have been at home when their mother was attacked. One of them also suffered minor injuries. Another floral tribute described Ms Griffiths as an Irish rose in our English countryside. FREE index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html