The father of a man stabbed to death by his wife in their Somerset home has spoken of the moment his world "collapsed", after her killer was jailed for life.

Christine Kekkonen, 37, was sentenced on Thursday (23 May) to life in prison, with a minimum of 15 years, for the murder of her husband Henri at their home in Dunford Terrace, Baltonsborough.

She stabbed 41-year-old Henri in the neck sometime between 4pm and 4.20pm on 9 May 2024, then sent a panicked text to her mum just minutes later.

Emergency services arrived within 15 minutes – but it was already too late.

Now, just four days after she was sentenced, Henri's devastated family have paid tribute to a "kind and caring" man who "always came first".

In a statement read to Bristol Crown Court, Henri's father Olavi Kekkonen said: "My whole life has been totally messed up, and it's not anything that you can expect to happen to you.

"The ninth of May was the day that Henri was killed, but I didn't know it yet. For some reason, I was up all night that night and I couldn't sleep, and then in the morning at 9am there was a knock at the door, and it was the police telling me that Henri had died.

"My whole world collapsed when they told me that. I am not feeling vengeful feelings towards Christine, because these feelings are stupid and not worth it. But I do not understand how Christine is now saying that she is innocent. Henri has never been violent."

Henri's half-sister, Helmiina Suuronen, who had never met her brother in person, said the killing robbed her of a relationship she had always hoped for.

"I would go and see my father and see all of Henri's things that were still in the house, such as his games, and always thought of him as my cool older brother even though I never met him," she said.

"The day Henri died, my father called me and told me that Henri was dead. It was the hardest phone call of my life.

"I felt disbelief. My mum explained that Christine had killed him. I felt numb when I heard that and I cried a lot. I felt robbed of a relationship with him. I always hoped that I would have a relationship with him one day and now I have a lot of questions I want to ask him and I will never know the answers. I feel like he was stolen from me before I even got to know him."

Christine Kekkonen

During sentencing, Judge Lambert said Henri had done "all he could" for Christine, even as she accused him of being controlling.

"In your deluded mind you felt he was coercive and controlling and should have done more for you. That was simply not correct," he said.

"Henri promoted your welfare above his own ambitions and you always came first."

A knife used in the attack was later recovered from the house. Kekkonen had hidden it by the bed – something the judge said showed "a degree of deliberation".

Detectives from the Major Crime Investigation Team arrested Christine Kekkonen shortly after the incident and charged her with murder. Despite claiming she had not meant to cause harm, she was found guilty in November last year.

Det Supt Lorett Spierenburg, the senior investigating officer, said: "Henri's life was callously cut short that day through the actions of someone he deeply trusted and cared for.

"Christine Kekkonen's denial of his murder forced his family to have to relive the awful events of May 2024 and showed them complete disregard.

"Henri's family have been able to see justice delivered through the courts, however nothing can bring him back to them, and that is a tragedy."