A MOTHER-of-three who fatally stabbed her abusive husband had her murder conviction quashed by the Court of Appeal yesterday and replaced by one of manslaughter.

Donna Tinker, 31, was jailed for life in April 2000 after a jury found her guilty of murdering her husband Richard at their home in Norwich Drive, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

The three judges, sitting in London, ruled that the judge at Leeds Crown Court where Tinker was tried had given a "singularly incomplete" summing up to the jury which made the conviction unsafe.

She was re-sentenced to seven years in prison but will qualify for release in another year.

Tinker, who was present in the dock as the judges gave their ruling, repeatedly wiped tears from her eyes.

Sue Griffiths, from Justice for Women, which has been campaigning for Tinker's release, said last night: "We have spoken to Donna and she is absolutely delighted at the outcome. She has always admitted her role in her husband's death and has been more than willing to serve a sentence, but she didn't feel it was fair that she should have been convicted of murder."

Tinker's legal team, headed by barrister and Redcar MP Vera Baird QC, had made a submission that the judges should make an order to allow Tinker to be released immediately.

Her father, Alan Hall, later said he thought the sentence of seven years was excessive.

"There was always that little hope that she might come out today," he said, but added that the family had been careful not to build up their hopes too much.

Tinker stabbed her husband with a vegetable knife in June 1999 after he held his arm around her neck and threatened her with a hot iron. The single blow punctured a lung and he died in hospital a week later.

Initially, she denied the stabbing. The jury was told that she he lied to police, and her defence of provocation was not accepted at her trial, despite evidence of injuries she had suffered an hour before the incident, including a black eye, broken tooth and bruised jaw.