A MOTHER-OF-FIVE was stabbed to death in her home by her drunken teenage lover and lay undiscovered for more than three weeks.

Christine Longworth, 36, died of internal bleeding on New Year's Day.

Her body was discovered 27 days later after neighbours in William Street, Chopwell, Gateshead, told authorities she had not been seen for some time.

Sixteen-year-old Joseph Parr admitted the murder of Miss Longworth at an earlier hearing at Newcastle Crown Court.

Yesterday, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of nine years.

Judge John Milford said: "Clearly you were drunk and something happened between the two of you for such a dispicable crime to be committed.

"Having then continued with your life as normal until you were arrested is a disgraceful crime."

Parr had been on a drinking binge and told police he had drunk 16 cans of lager before the pair began to argue.

Newcastle Crown Court heard yesterday how Parr had been thrown out of his father's home in Chopwell.

The court was told how Parr had become paraniod in the months leading up to the killing and carried a knife around with him.

Medical and psycological reports read by Paul Sloan QC, in mitigation, referred to aggressive and uncontrollable behaviour from Parr caused by a childhood head injury.

After the case, Detective Superintendent Barbara Frank-lin, who led the investigation, said: "This was a very sad case in every respect.

"Christine Longworth was a loner in the true sense of the word, and even when news of her death became widespread, no one came forward who was close to her in any way.

"It is equally sad that someone as young as this has admitted to killing her."

Parr had been a persistent offender since the age of 11, with a pattern of behaviour that was growing ever more violent.