A SOLDIER has been convicted of murdering his former partner after he stabbed her 11 times.

Jay Nava, 27, dumped the body of on-off girlfriend Natasha Wake in a cupboard after carrying out the brutal attack while their children were sleeping upstairs asleep.

An argument broke out after Natasha, 26, discovered Nava was investigated by police for an alleged sexual assault on another woman.

Nava, on leave from the army, then struck her before repeatedly stabbing her with an eight inch kitchen knife.

His daughter was woken by a scream and came downstairs to see him with blood on his clothes and on the walls, the knife in his trousers and a dead Natasha slumped on the floor with a blanket over her.

Winchester Crown Court heard Nava told her "go upstairs and don't come back down" before later assuring her the blood on the walls was 'ketchup'.

The day after the attack in Harley Gardens, Bournemouth, in October last year Nava contacted his mother in Australia confessing to killing Natasha and told her he was going to kill himself.

Later police searching Hengistbury Head found Nava attempting to hang himself from a tree.

On Wednesday at Winchester Crown Court, Nava, who told officers "I want to die" moments after being resuscitated from the attempted suicide, was convicted of murder.

The soldier, based at the Royal Artillery's 29 Commando Regiment in Plymouth, Devon, had denied murder following the incident at Natasha's home.

It is understood Nava, who will be sentenced on Thursday, will be dismissed from the army after the hearing.

The court heard Nava, who joined the army in January 2015, first began his relationship with bank worker Natasha in January 2013.

He left three notes at her home saying 'why he stabbed her was beyond him', apologising to her mother and saying he planned to kill himself.

During his defence, it was heard Nava was suffering from a narcissistic personality disorder which affected his mental functioning.

Opening the trial, prosecutor Sally Howes QC said a 'bitter and acrimonious' argument then broke out between the pair and Nava stabbed her 11 times.

Miss Howes QC said: "She was stabbed to death in the living room whilst the three children slept upstairs. [One child] was sleeping when she was woken by a scream."

Miss Howes QC said of Natasha's injuries: "The severity and multiplicity to the large organs were such that she was rendered helpless, she would have bled to death very quickly."

Nava took the children to his grandparents nearby the following morning. Miss Howes QC said after leaving "he made contact with his mother in Australia and told her he had killed Natasha" and "said he was going to kill himself."

Police were alerted and found three notes written by Nava.