Jilted lover faces 20 years for Avril’s murder

The jilted lover of Avril Flanagan was last night facing 20 years behind bars after being convicted of her murder.

A jury found Alan Daulby guilty of stabbing the Irish bar worker to death 47 times at his flat on Spain’s Costa Blanca after she begged him to stop stalking her.

Avril, from Swords, Co Dublin, was due to fly back to Ireland the day of her death with her mother Barbara to celebrate her 21st birthday.

Her seven minutes of agony on May 29, 2009, only ended when Daulby stabbed her for the 47th time about the head, neck, chest, arms, and legs with a kitchen knife.

Her family found her body hidden in plastic under a sofa after he spent more than three hours clinically cleaning up the murder scene before going on the run.

Daulby, aged 26, from Liverpool, hung his head and wept yesterday as the verdict was read out after a three-day trial at a court in Elche.

The jury of eight women and one man reached their unanimous verdict in just under two hours.

A jury foreman stood up to say each one of them agreed the British expat had deliberately caused Avril unnecessary suffering by stabbing her so many times.

They ruled by a majority verdict of seven to two that he was conscious of what he was doing — and his mind was not befuddled by drink or drugs.

Judge Gracia Serrano reserved sentencing to a later date — but Daulby was warned he could expect to get between 17-and-a-half and 20 years, the maximum under Spanish law.

Shortly before armed police led him away he made his second court apology in two days to Avril’s family.

Daulby, who dramatically confessed to killing Avril on Wednesday but claimed he mistook her for an intruder, said: “I just want to say I’m very sorry to the family for everything’s that happened.”

Avril’s father Gerry and older brother Ger, aged 28, sat at the back of court and maintained a dignified silence.

Her mother Barbara, who split from Gerry after Avril’s murder and now lives in Ireland, gave evidence on Tuesday but was too upset to attend yesterday’s verdict.

Speaking outside the court, former Dublin bus engineer Gerry said: “It’s a relief that it’s all been proven because up to yesterday Daulby hadn’t said anything.

“We’d like to thank our legal team for all the excellent job they’ve done.

“We just hope now he gets the full 20 years. Avril was a human being and my only daughter.”

Family friend Greg Daly, who attended every day of the trial, said: “I think the whole community is going to be relieved this nightmare has come to an end.

“At least now we can try and get some closure. Nothing can turn back time and bring Avril back to the arms of her family but we hope Daulby gets hit with the maximum sentence.”

Slamming Irish diplomatic officials, he added: “No one from the Irish embassy in Spain has ever contacted Avril’s family.

“People from the British consulate have visited Daulby in prison and he’s the killer not the victim.”

Avril, who moved to Spain with her family in 2006, went missing after going to Daulby’s flat in Cabo Roig near Alicante to pick up belongings and beg him to leave her alone.

The pair had shared the apartment until Avril ended their 18-month-long relationship a week earlier.