Gay lodger poisoned his landlady to get her boyfriend

A gay lodger poisoned his pregnant landlady with bleach because he wanted her boyfriend.

Robert Tonks poured a capful into Stephanie Force's tea every day for a week after finding out she was expecting, a court heard yesterday.

He claimed he wanted to give her "a shock" and stopped when she complained of blisters in her mouth.

But Stephanie's baby was born dead three months later, and immediately after the funeral Tonks finally admitted what he had done.

Tonks, 20, told police he wanted a relationship with her boyfriend Craig Thomas. He told them: "I was putting bleach in Stephanie's tea because I wanted her out of the way. I was trying to build up a relationship with Craig. I do fancy Craig."