Glamping site horror as man stabbed his partner to death

Katie Brankin, 37, was killed by Thomas Davidson, 53, at a glamping site in Limavady in July 2021.

Davidson, who admitted the killing during police interview, died inside Maghaberry prison six weeks later while on remand charged with the murder of the mother of one.

An inquest at Belfast Coroners’ Court heard harrowing testimony from eyewitnesses to the attack at Swanns Bridge glamping campsite on the evening of July 12 last year.

Coroner Joe McCrisken found that Davidson stabbed Ms Brankin five times, while the couple, from Newtownabbey, were staying on the site with their baby daughter.

Following an argument, Davidson stabbed her twice inside their campervan and then a further three times as she lay prone on the ramp of a neighbouring cabin.

Ms Brankin had managed to get out of the van and stagger towards the nearby cabin before collapsing.

A man who was staying in the cabin and the manager of the site had been trying to administer first aid and communicated with emergency services when Davidson approached and launched another attack, inflicting three further stab wounds to his partner.

Before that he had handed over the baby to the man from the cabin.

Mr McCrisken ruled that the fatal stab wound, which punctured Ms Brankin’s heart cavity, was inflicted inside the campervan.

The inquest was held a day after the PSNI launched a new strategy aimed at tackling violence against women and girls.

Mr McCrisken ruled that there was nothing police or state agencies could have done to prevent the murder, as he highlighted there had been no evidence or reports of violence or domestic abuse involving the couple before the stabbing.

“Katie Brankin was one of 34 women killed by men between 2017 and 2021,” he added.

“Although I am satisfied that there is no evidence of domestic violence, abuse or aggression in the relationship between Ms Brankin and Thomas Davidson before the events of the 12th of July, I welcome the recent PSNI announcement of an action plan to tackle violence against women and girls, as well as the introduction of the domestic violence reviews announced by the Justice Minister (Naomi Long) in December 2020.”

The coroner added: “It’s not appropriate for me as a coroner to comment on government policy.

“So, I won’t do that. But what I’ll say is, as a society, we must take robust steps to secure the safety of victims of domestic violence and abuse and the safety of women and girls.

“In my role as coroner I will support these efforts in any way that I can.”

The inquest heard that both Ms Brankin and Davidson struggled with mental health issues.

She had been discharged from Holywell psychiatric hospital in Antrim only days before they took the trip to Limavady.

Ms Brankin, a dog walker originally from Downpatrick, had booked the stay at the glamping site.

Mr McCrisken formally ruled that Ms Brankin died from a stab wound.