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AAP
National
Laine Clark

Fatal stabbing audio played in Qld court

Audio of the moment a nurse fatally stabbed her abusive husband has been played in court. (Samantha Manchee/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Confronting audio of the moment a woman fatally stabbed her abusive husband has been played in a Brisbane court.

"I hope you f***ing die, dog," Jean Louise Herholdt can be heard yelling moments before plunging a knife into Sean Murray's back.

However, Herholdt stabbed her husband in anger soon after being bashed and did not intend to kill Mr Murray, the Brisbane Supreme Court heard.

Herholdt, 30, was initially charged with murder after Mr Murray died from a single knife wound to the back at their home north of Brisbane in August 2020.

Herholdt had been in a violent relationship with Mr Murray for years and planned to escape, the court heard.

She had put money aside in a nest egg hidden at the Murrumba Downs residence for a life away from Mr Murray, defence barrister Andrew Hoare said.

However, Mr Murray discovered the cash that morning and took it, sparking an emotion-charged argument that was captured on the home's CCTV camera audio.

Two five-minute recordings were played after Justice Peter Davis warned the public gallery of its confronting content.

The initial audio featured a violent exchange.

A man can be heard saying "stop, stop please" while others scream.

The second recording included the moment Mr Murray was stabbed in the lungs, dying soon afterwards.

The wound was 15cm deep.

"Please, I need an ambulance," Mr Murray can be heard saying.

In between the two recordings Mr Murray had assaulted Herholdt in their front yard and dragged her back inside, the court heard.

Neighbours had witnessed Mr Murray's violence and called police.

Herholdt became enraged as Mr Murray tried to "create a facade of calm" before officers arrived, the court heard.

She can be heard hurling abuse at him, telling him she hopes he dies and at one stage grabs the knife.

Herholdt continues to yell at her husband and demands he return the money after stabbing him before realising the enormity of her actions.

Herholdt - a trained nurse - asks others to "hurry up" and call a paramedic, telling them to apply pressure to the wound as a man can be heard groaning.

Herholdt pleads with Mr Murray to stop moving in a bid to stem the blood flow, saying "I love you, baby" and "you know I'm going to jail for this".

"Given the emotionally charged state of the situation that is graphically depicted by the recordings I wouldn't be taking lack of remorse from that really," Justice Davis said.

Herholdt had endured childhood trauma before being subjected to years of abuse from Mr Murray but did not intend to kill him, Mr Hoare said.

"My client had been subjected to financial constraints for years and isolated from her family and isolated from her friends (by Mr Murray)," he said.

Herholdt's family and friends - including her parents - were in court on Tuesday when she pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Justice Davis will sentence Herholdt - who has been in custody for 27 months - at a date to be fixed.

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