A man who stabbed his partner to death in her Ipswich home after she refused to kiss him goodbye as he left for work, has been sentenced to life in prison.

Wayne Ashley O’Sullivan pleaded guilty to the murder of Michelle Reynolds in the Supreme Court in Brisbane.

The court heard the 50-year-old stabbed the mother of six to death in her bed in April 2016 after getting a knife from his tackle box early in the morning.

Prosecutor Vicki Loury QC said there was no history of violence between the pair, who argued over financial strains.

“[He] chose to extinguish her life for an entirely trivial reason, her refusal to kiss him,” she said.

O’Sullivan then left the home and threw the knife from his vehicle on the way to a family member’s house. They called Triple-zero.

Ms Reynolds’ body was found by paramedics with multiple stab wounds.

Justice David Boddice said the pair had been arguing over money and O’Sullivan’s child support payments had recently increased.

“In the few months prior to her death, tension had developed between you, primarily financial issues,” he said.

“For reasons that may never be entirely known or understood, on the morning of April 4, 2016, you stabbed your former partner to death.”

Justice Boddice said the fatal injury was inflicted to the 46-year-old’s lower neck with considerable force.

“After this act of senselessness, you removed your blood-soaked clothes, showered and drove to a relative’s house,” he said.

O’Sullivan was found away from the scene when he was arrested in 2016. Photo: ABC

“It appears financial pressures resulted in the relationship deteriorating to the point where you were regularly arguing and on the day in question, it became too much.”

The court heard the pair had met on a dating site two years earlier.

Justice Boddice said O’Sullivan confessed to the killing when interviewed by police and had genuine regret, which was “cold comfort” to the family.

In a victim impact statement to the court, Jack Reynolds said his mother was killed by a man trusted to protect her and described the death as a “cruel act of violence”.

“I have spent the last two years and eight months watching my family being in a constant state of peril,” Mr Reynolds said.

“Nobody cared, tried or loved as hard as my mother did. Without her I feel lost in the dark.

“There is a sadness that plagues me, every memory I have of my mum.”

O’Sullivan will serve 20 years in custody before being eligible to apply for parole.

–ABC