A PENARTH man has been jailed for life for the murder of his second wife - 19 years after carrying out a "carbon copy" knife attack on his first wife.

Lorry driver David Buchan, aged 53, stabbed his wife Gillian in the chest nine times with a knife as she lay in bed at their home in Paget Road on April 16, after a row over his mobile phone.

Gillian had an appointment with a domestic abuse charity the following day.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that the knife twice entered her heart.

Buchan admitted murder and will serve a minimum term of 14 years.

The court heard the stabbing was almost identical to an attack Buchan launched on his first wife with a steak knife in 1988, for which he was jailed for seven years.

His first wife survived after being stabbed six times in the chest.

He had been cleared of attempted murder but found guilty of wounding.

Buchan had met mother-of-two Gillian Watson and married her in 1998, after he was released from prison.

Cardiff Crown Court heard how he had a history of violence against his second wife, and although police had been called to their home several times, she had refused to press charges.

But in April, he fatally stabbed her several times.

Prosecutor Greg Bull QC said on the night Gillian died, neighbours heard Buchan accusing her of hiding his mobile phone.

Mr Bull said: "A neighbour heard him shouting that his wife was hiding his phone, heard his voice become more distant as if he had left the room - then Gillian shout Oh no. No...no...don't'.

"She plainly heard the brutal and deliberate stabbing as the deceased moved up the bed to get away from the knife."

Buchan phoned his son to say he had killed Gillian, who had been 'winding him up'.

Police forced entry to the house and found Manchester-born Buchan lying on the bed alongside her body.

He had taken an overdose.

In the house were four notes, one apologising to his son and three telling Gillian how much he loved her.

Lorry driver Buchan, who had lost his licence for drink-driving two days before the stabbing, said the arguments had started then.

At first he had got the knife just to "scare the bitch" but felt himself "going into a mist" and used it.

The court heard he had also attacked another woman in 1975.

Gillian was due to seek help at a charity for abused women, Women's Aid, on April 19 - the day after her murder.

Her mother Peggy Coveney, 85, said later: "She called at least three times a week telling me she was unhappy, but she was afraid to leave her husband in case he followed her."

A neighbour in Paget Road said: "I used to see Gillian walking her dog. I probably only ever spoke to her five or six times. She was always very pleasant.

"What happened obviously came as a shock, but the police had been called to the house on a number of occasions prior to Gillian's death."