A MOTHER has spoken publicly for the first time about the murder of her only daughter.

Joanne Oliver was described as “the happiest she had ever been” prior to the morning of Friday, September 24, last year when she was stabbed more than 15 times in Heaton Park, Prestwich, by her estranged husband.

Her mum, Linda Todd, said “no time will ever be long enough” after 40-year-old Brian Oliver, of Duke Street, Radcliffe, was jailed for life for murdering his wife.

He will serve a minimum of 19 years after he dramatically admitted to the murder partway through his trial at Manchester Crown Court.

Ms Todd, aged 53, of Whitefield, said: “Joanne was my only daughter. She was the happiest she had ever been. She had started to get a new life and she wasn’t afraid any more.

“She was gentle, but she was a strong-minded girl, and she was the most wonderful daughter anyone could ever wish for.”

During a “vicious and prolonged” attack, Oliver stabbed his victim in the neck, the court heard.

Even as she tried to defend herself, 32-year-old Mrs Oliver — who worked at Morrison’s in Whitefield — was subjected to a frenzied and repeated attack at the hands of her “possessive and controlling” husband, prosecutor Graham Wood QC said.

Oliver initially denied the charge of murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility and provocation.

The court was told he changed his plea because he did not want to cause any more distress to his wife’s family.

Defending, Mr Jeffrey Samuels said Oliver had been under stress. He said: “It goes without saying that what ever the cause, the break-up of relationships can cause not only physical problems but very severe mental problems, to the point of mental illness.”

But Mr Justice King said whilst Oliver’s culpability was lowered, he was responsible for his actions.

The couple had been married for 10 years and had been living together in Duke Street.

Oliver discovered his wife had started a relationship with a man she met on Facebook and, the night before her death, he texted her to ask if it was true.

The couple arranged to meet and on September 24, he took a foot-long butcher’s knife to the park, along with a suicide note.

He later told police that when he learned of his wife’s infidelity, he slashed his own wrists in front of her.

Between 9.25am and 10am, Oliver murdered his wife on a secluded path close to the reservoir near the St Margaret’s entrance.