Daughters pay tribute to Mandy Finn

The young daughters of a Wolverhampton College lecturer allegedly stabbed to death by a colleague today paid tribute to their "beautiful and wonderful" mother.

Jade Stokes, aged 21, and 14-year-old Sallie-Jo Cramman described Mandy Finn as fun-loving, and passionate about her job.

Psychology lecturer Ms Finn, aged 40, was found dead at her flat in Newhampton Road West, Whitmore Reans, just before 7pm on Sunday.

Stephen Dowds, aged 49, a student services manager at the college appeared at Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with murdering Ms Finn.

Miss Stokes said today: "She touched so many lives. She was everything, a professional, down with the kids, intelligent, worked hard, a perfectionist, loved to dance and enjoyed the company of her loved ones."

She said the former mechanic and long-distance driver had come from a "council estate background" to achieve a BA in psychology.

Ms Finn, who graduated from the city's university in 2005, won an award for being the highest achieving undergraduate and was studying for a PhD in cyber psychology at the time of her death.

Miss Stokes added: "She was a passionate teacher at and was dedicated to her students and did her utmost to help them achieve their dreams like she did.

"She inspired people and talked about her life experiences and how she climbed the ladder to success. She would make eyes turn when she entered a room. It wasn't just through her beauty, it was from her personality."

Dowds, of Newhampton Road West, was remanded in custody ahead of a hearing at the city's crown court tomorrow.

He is thought to have been a performing arts tutor at the college.