Man accused of murder admits sexual assault of partner

A man facing charges for the murder of his on-off partner has entered a guilty plea to sexually assaulting her, a charge he had previously denied. Paul Irwin, 50, denies the murder of 34-year-old Tiffany Render but has admitted to her manslaughter. Carlisle Crown Court heard that Miss Render died from blood loss at Mr. Irwin’s flat on George Street in Whitehaven, Cumbria, on 22 March, following the consumption of alcohol and cocaine by both individuals. Jurors were informed that Mr. Irwin’s guilty plea to sexual assault was made after receiving advice from his legal team. Mr. Irwin pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter on Monday and remains on trial accused of murder. A pathologist had previously testified during the trial that Miss Render’s death was caused by a massive haemorrhage and that she had been subjected to “repeated blows,” blunt force trauma, and the use of “severe force.” In his closing speech, prosecutor Iain Simkin KC described the case as “vulgar and unpleasant.” He stated: “We know Irwin killed her. We know he unlawfully killed her.” He further asked: “What remains for you to decide is: what was his intention at the time he killed her?” For the defence, Peter Glenser KC asserted that Mr. Irwin and Miss Render had lived lives which were “chaotic, sadly.” He told jurors that their 18-month relationship included “bad times but also good times.” Ahead of their deliberations, Judge Mrs Justice Foster reminded jurors to “step aside from emotion” and to weigh up the evidence “coolly and dispassionately.” The judge explained that to return a guilty verdict, the jury had to be “sure” that Mr. Irwin intended either to kill Miss Render or to cause her really serious bodily harm. The trial continues.