In 2026, the Offender Database recorded that Aurin Makepeace, 43, was found guilty of the murder of her ex-partner, Steven Rothwell. On appearing at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday, 25 March 2026, the defendant—of Tan y Don, Prestatyn, Wales—was convicted following a trial for the fatal stabbing that occurred in the early hours of 19 August 2025. It was reported that Makepeace used a kitchen knife to kill Mr. Rothwell at his home in Cross Street, Macclesfield, Cheshire, before fleeing the scene and returning to her home in North Wales.
The investigation established that Makepeace attempted to manipulate the emergency services and provide conflicting accounts of the killing. Cheshire Police reported that approximately 20 hours after the murder, Makepeace made a 999 call using false names and claiming she was still at the flat in Macclesfield. The prosecution reported that although she initially told friends she had murdered her boyfriend, she later claimed to police that the stabbing was accidental or an act of self-defence. The investigation established that the victim died from a single stab wound to the chest while alone on his kitchen floor.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Makepeace’s explanation of an accidental stabbing was highly unlikely according to pathological evidence. Chester Crown Court heard that Makepeace and Mr. Rothwell had a volatile history spanning 12 years, having originally met in a men’s prison in the early 2010s before Makepeace transitioned. The investigation established that the defendant had a significant history of violence, including a 2007 indeterminate sentence for a life-threatening stabbing and previous convictions for grievous bodily harm and battery against former partners.
The Crown Prosecution Service highlighted that Makepeace lied about her location during her emergency call and waited several hours to report the incident. For her actions in Cheshire, the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict. The judge noted that the defendant showed no reaction to the verdict and will remain in custody until her sentencing on Friday, 10 April, where she faces a mandatory life sentence for the murder in Macclesfield.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the crimes reported in England, the status of Aurin Makepeace is as follows:
- Verdict: Guilty of Murder (Convicted 25 March 2026).
- Sentencing Date: Scheduled for Friday, 10 April 2026.
- Custody Status: Remanded in custody.
- Judicial Oversight: Convicted at Chester Crown Court following a Cheshire Police investigation.
- Criminal Record: Murder; Wounding (2007); GBH; ABH; Battery; Assaulting a police officer.
- Origin: Tan y Don, Prestatyn, Wales (Offence committed in Macclesfield, Cheshire).
Monitoring and Public Protection
Makepeace is managed as a high-risk violent offender within the prison estate. Due to the nature of her conduct in Macclesfield, which involved a fatal knife attack and a history of similar life-threatening violence, her management is a maximum priority. Authorities state that her previous release from an indeterminate sentence in 2021 and the subsequent termination of her licence for good behaviour in 2025 preceded this fatal escalation, highlighting the extreme risk she poses to partners and the public.
As a convicted murderer, Makepeace’s details are permanently logged on national criminal databases. Authorities state that her history of using kitchen knives and targeting those known to her in Cheshire and North Wales requires the highest level of security classification. Any future consideration for release by the Parole Board would only occur after the expiration of a minimum term to be set in April, though her history of repeat violent offending will be a primary factor in ongoing public protection assessments.
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