Benjamin Coman describes the murder of his ex-partner Michelle Darragh as a ’moment of madness’

A jealous ex who stabbed his former partner to death in Bayswater North has given a chilling account of how he hid a knife in his shoe before driving the weapon into her back.

A pre-sentencing hearing in the Supreme Court has heard chilling details of how Benjamin Coman planned the murder of Michelle Darragh. Picture: Facebook

The harrowing last moments of a pregnant mum’s life and her attempts to fight off her knife-wielding jealous ex have been aired in court.

Benjamin Coman has given a chilling account of how he planned the attack, secreting a kitchen knife in his shoe, before he drove the weapon into Michelle Darragh’s back.

The brutal attack at his Bayswater North home on October 9, 2021, severed Ms Darragh's spine, killing the mother of two, who was 12 weeks pregnant, almost instantly.

Coman, 31, described it as a “moment of madness” and has pleaded guilty to murder.

Benjamin Coman secreted a kitchen knife in his shoe before killing Michelle Darragh. Picture: Facebook

A pre-sentencing hearing in the Supreme Court on Thursday heard Coman revealed during a psychiatric assessment that when he found Ms Darragh, 32, packing her belongings in their bedroom, after their five-year relationship had ended, he became angry.

The cabinet-maker grabbed a knife from the drying rack in the kitchen, and initially went to his son’s room to contemplate his next move.

“He contemplated stabbing himself in front of her for the purpose of traumatising her,” Justice Andrew Tinney, who is tasked with sentencing Coman, said.

But that quickly escalated, Justice Tinney said, with Coman then revealing he knew what he had to do.

“I have to go through with his — she needs to die now,” Coman said his thoughts were at the time.

The evil killer said when he confronted Ms Darragh, a wrestle ensued over the knife.

Coman contemplated stabbing himself in front of Ms Darragh before he stabbed her to death. Picture: Facebook

He then stuck his thumb into her cheek to stop her screams for help, he said, before thrusting the knife at her multiple times.

“He describes it as a moment of violence. But it’s more than that,” Justice Tinney said.

“He’s obviously thinking about what he’s going to do.

“He’d been thinking about doing something with that knife the moment he secreted it.

“Once the attack happens and he says he runs at her with the knife, she is resisting, and trying to call out for help.

“He decides he has to stop that.

“He fully understood it was unlawful and wrong.”

Prosecutor Nanette Rogers said there were “big gaps” in Coman’s narrative, with the evidence at the scene not matching his version of events.

Most importantly, Dr Rogers said, Ms Darragh was stabbed in the back, when Coman claims their confrontation was face-to-face.

He could not recall stabbing her in the back.

After he killed her, Coman took sleeping pills and then turned the blade on himself as he lay beside her.

He was rushed to hospital and underwent emergency surgery when paramedics arrived at the bloody scene.

Defence barrister Susan Brennan, SC, said Coman’s account should be seen as “genuine”, with blood splatters throughout the house indicating his movements, as he had detailed, to get the pill box after the stabbing.

Justice Tinney will sentence Coman at a later date.