TRAGIC WASTE ‘Love of my life’ was murdered on Valentine’s Day by monster he met on Facebook… his final texts to our kids haunt me

 Neighbors appalled by killer's actions after Paul Wegland was stabbed to death in his kitchen

For grieving mother Sarah Wagland, Valentine's Day will always be a date on the calendar that her family dreads.

It's a tragic memory of the time her husband of 30 years was brutally murdered by his possessive new girlfriend.

Bristol-based Sarah, now 50, and Paul Wagland, who was 52 at the time, had three children and were childhood friends until they split in 2022.

Five weeks later, on Valentine's Day, Paul was single and joined Facebook dating, where he met 41-year-old Sonja Blenkiron, who began abusing him and estranged him from his family.

Paul endured domestic violence in silence for a year. As Valentine's Day approached again last year, she tried to leave Blenkiron - but during a confrontation he stabbed her.

Now Sara is speaking out to raise awareness about domestic abuse by men.

Sarah, a teaching consultant, tells The Sun: “Paul was too proud to ask for help and it really kills me.

“So many men in the UK are silently struggling. Please, if you notice any of these symptoms in a man, get in touch and trust your instincts.

"I wish we could have done more and maybe Paul were alive today."

Sarah and Paul, owners of an online carpet business, were childhood sweethearts and married in 2003.

They have three children – Jess, 30, James, 28, and Katie, 25.

Sarah says: “Paul was fascinated, and he did everything for our children and grandchildren. He was a devoted husband to me too.

"I had only ever known Paul, and our marriage was stronger than ever."

heartbreaking separation

But over the years, Paul began to emotionally distance himself from his wife after the sudden death of his brother.

They separated and in December 2022, Sara asked for a separation.

Sarah says: “Paul cried and said he thought we would grow old together. Our hearts were broken and we cried for days. “I just wanted us both to be happy again.”

In January 2022, Paul left the family home and moved into his mother's house.

Paul still went to the gym with his son, watched the children most days and dropped his grandchildren off at school every morning.

The following month, Paul met Blenkiron, who lived on the other side of Bristol, online.

Sarah says: "A woman I don't recognize arrived at a restaurant with Paul on Facebook and her caption read, 'Out for dinner with her husband.'

“I was upset and confused. We broke up only five weeks ago. I talked to Paul and he told me how he was single on Valentine's Day and got involved in Facebook dating.

“He was confused as to why she wrote the caption and asked her to remove it.

“But after that, Paul suddenly stopped meeting and talking to the children. It wasn't like him at all.

“They were his world. It was very strange and worrying.”

'Toxic and controlling'

Paul also shut Sarah down on everything and months later, he was seen looking distressed at his granddaughter's birthday party.

Sarah says: “Jess told me how Paul was on the phone to Sonja throughout the party telling her what he was doing and seemed very excited.

"It was clear that Sonya was toxic and controlling."

The following month, Sarah's daughter was texting her father when she realized that Blenkiron was actually using her phone.

Blenkiron called her a "c***", said she "tore her clothes off" and also wrote: "You're a stupid little girl, you want your daddy near you."

Meanwhile, Paul often found himself stuck in Sonja's flat due to working from home, while Sonja did not.

Sarah says: “We found out from people that Sonya was known to be an alcoholic and used to cause a lot of drama.

“We heard they had a huge argument and Sonya got drunk, called the police and made false claims about Paul.

“Whenever this happened, Paul would go home to his mother and that was the only time the family would hear from him. I was very worried about him.”

'stay away'

Meanwhile, Blenkiron continued to target Sarah's daughter Jess, as she was closest to her father.

Sarah says: “One time Sonja told Jess she was going to get her dad locked up, so I picked up the phone and told her to stop harassing my daughter.

“Sonja was whispering that she was the love of Paul's life. I could barely understand what she was saying but I replied to her and asked her to stay away from my family.

Soon after, Paul frequently ran to his mother and began talking to the children again.

In November 2022, the family came to the realization that Paul was finally going to leave Blenkiron.

Months later, in January 2023, he and Blenkiron were approaching their one-year anniversary on Valentine's Day.

Sarah's children received a message from Paul at 10 pm saying that he missed them and loved them.

Unbeknownst to the family, that night he packed a bag, toiletries and put on his coat and confronted Blenkiron.

The neighbors heard her crying, then a very loud noise.

Blenkiron stabbed him in the chest with a large knife in the kitchen.

'He didn't shed a single tear'

After he fell to the floor, he pulled it out of his chest, washed his bloody clothes in the bathroom, smoked a cigarette and went to his neighbor to tell her that he had killed Paul.

It took him an hour to call emergency services, and when they tried to help him over the phone he refused, saying he was already dead.

When the authorities arrested him, he did not even shed a tear. She also asked Shanti if she could have the shoes.

Blenkiron claimed that Paul strangled her, and that she only wanted to cut off his hand in self-defense. But there were no strangulation marks on her neck and she kept changing her story.

Sarah says: “When I found out my world came to an end. That wicked woman took away my Paul from me, and my children took away their father.

“The children were in complete disarray and all started screaming and crying loudly.

“Considering all the signs, I began to be ill. We knew Paul was going to leave her.

“He brutally murdered her and I barely had time to mourn our 30-year marriage. Suddenly he was gone forever.”

In August 2023, Sarah and her family faced Blenkiron at Bristol Crown Court.

They were shown bodycam footage of police first going to Blenkiron's flat, where Paul was seen with bruises, a black eye and a cut lip.

Sarah says: “In the video, which happened a few months ago, he tells the policeman he got hurt playing football.

"My heart broke. He was struggling silently. I wanted him to reach us.

“All of Sonja's neighbors took the stand and described the screams and screams they heard from Paul throughout the relationship. She had been exploiting him for a year.

cruel killer

Sonja Blenkiron, 41, of Hartcliffe, was found guilty of one count of murder and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 15 years.

Sarah says: “He had distanced himself from the children, even though they were his world. He became a shell of his former self. And now we all knew why.

“We are relieved that Sonya was convicted but nothing can bring her back.

“Paul was a caring father, grandfather and a loving husband for so many years.

“While that monster played the victim, we all know he is nothing more than a ruthless killer.

“If you are going through what Paul did please get help. Men also struggle with domestic violence and more awareness needs to be raised.