A WOMAN has sensationally changed her plea to guilty during her murder trial for stabbing her mother’s best friend and neighbour to death.
Rebecca Press, 31, from Caerphilly has admitted murdering 57-year-old Richard Marc Ash in New Tredegar last summer when she was high on drink and drugs.
She killed her victim after he tried to calm her down after she’d headbutted her mum, a jury heard.
Press has been remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on Thursday.
She pleaded guilty to murder during the second week of her trial at Cardiff Crown Court.
Prosecutor Jonathan Elystan Rees KC told jurors Mr Ash suffered a heart attack after being knifed just above his heart.
The prosecutor told the court Press, of Second Avenue, Trecenydd, Caerphilly, had confessed to murdering Mr Ash at Long Row.
“Just after 1.15am on Sunday, July 17, 2022, the defendant Rebecca Press left her ex-boyfriend Ashley Allen a voicemail message,” Mr Rees said.
“She said, ‘Ash, it’s really bad. It’s really f****** bad. I’ve just stabbed someone and killed them.
“I’ve just murdered someone, please phone me now. F*** (screams). I’ve just murdered someone’.
“Indeed, the prosecution says, she had.
“Minutes earlier, Rebecca Press had picked up a knife and stabbed Richard Marc Ash with it, just above his heart.
“Mr Ash, known as Marc, was unarmed.
“The full length of the blade – up to the handle – plunged into his chest, some 7.5cm or so, and pierced the aortic arch above his heart.
“Mr Ash rapidly lost blood from the injured aortic arch, leading to his cardiac arrest and death."
Mr Ash was described as the neighbour and “best friend” of Michelle Press and he had spent the afternoon on July 16 with the defendant and her mother.
Mr Rees: “Throughout that time, the defendant, who was drinking and had taken drugs, was behaving more and more erratically, eventually headbutting her mother to the nose causing a cut.
“When Marc Ash tried to calm the defendant down he paid the price with his life.”
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