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A woman involved in a love triangle has expressed her heartbreak after her former partner fatally stabbed her new boyfriend.
Michael James, 45, was sentenced to 14 years in prison last week for taking the life of Bradley Hollis, 35.
Bradley Hollis tragically died following a violent confrontation with his lover’s fiancéCredit: SWNS
Zara stated that Bradley was ‘the love of her life’Credit: Supplied
Michael James has now been sentenced for manslaughterCredit: SWNS
Hollis was in a relationship with Zara Tolley, who had ended her engagement with James to pursue her relationship with Bradley.
In her first statement, Zara revealed that James lost control upon discovering her love for Bradley.
Zara, a mother of four, aged 41, expressed, “Bradley was the love of my life. He died right in front of me, and I will never be able to move past that."
“Michael never truly wanted me when we were together; it was only after I fell in love with Bradley that he grew jealous and sought to win me back. I have to live with the painful reality that my love for Bradley cost him his life."
“My youngest son asked, ‘If Bradley died because he loved Mommy, would Daddy hurt me too, because I love Mommy?’ It’s heartbreaking.”
Zara met Michael James during Halloween 2014 through mutual friends.
She recalls, “Our relationship developed rapidly. Michael was the first man I introduced to my two children since parting ways with their father in 2009.
“He was incredibly helpful around the house; he went above and beyond. He even wallpapered my stairway. Our relationship was a gradual process, but I eventually fell in love with him.”
The couple welcomed two children together, but Zara soon found herself unhappy.
She shared, “Michael became friendly with my ex-partner and would always side with him against me. He was frequently angry, and I bore the brunt of it.
“If someone made a remark he disliked, I was blamed, and he became violent. I forgave him because I wanted our family to stay together, thinking it was the right choice for our children.
“After our youngest son was born in August 2020, the midwife asked, ‘So, will you two be together forever now?’ I replied, ‘Yes,’ but Michael interjected, ‘No.’
“It was humiliating. I felt so unloved. We rarely had intimate relations, and when we traveled, he would book a separate room for himself. He didn’t seem to care for me, and there were whispers about other women.”
At the end of 2023, the couple agreed to marry.
Zara stated that James lost control after discovering her feelings for BradleyCredit: Supplied
Michael James was found hiding in a shed after police traced his phoneCredit: SWNS
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