This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-37608804
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Spalding murders: Teen pleads guilty to mum and daughter killing | Spalding murders: Teen pleads guilty to mum and daughter killing |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A mother and daughter were stabbed to death in their beds by two teenagers in a "cold, calculated and callous" killing, a court has heard. | A mother and daughter were stabbed to death in their beds by two teenagers in a "cold, calculated and callous" killing, a court has heard. |
| Elizabeth Edwards, 49, and her 13-year-old daughter Katie were found dead at their Lincolnshire home in April. | |
| A jury has been told the pair, of Dawson Avenue, Spalding, were murdered by a boy and girl aged 14 at the time. | A jury has been told the pair, of Dawson Avenue, Spalding, were murdered by a boy and girl aged 14 at the time. |
| At Nottingham Crown Court the boy, now 15, pleaded guilty to their murders. The girl, also 15, denies murder. | At Nottingham Crown Court the boy, now 15, pleaded guilty to their murders. The girl, also 15, denies murder. |
| However she has admitted killing them, but has claimed diminished responsibility, the prosecution said. | However she has admitted killing them, but has claimed diminished responsibility, the prosecution said. |
| Neither of the teenagers can be named because of their ages. | Neither of the teenagers can be named because of their ages. |
| Read more about this and other stories from across Lincolnshire | Read more about this and other stories from across Lincolnshire |
| Opening the case, prosecutor Peter Joyce QC said the victims had been stabbed in the throat by the teenage boy after he and the girl had plotted to kill them. | Opening the case, prosecutor Peter Joyce QC said the victims had been stabbed in the throat by the teenage boy after he and the girl had plotted to kill them. |
| He said: "There is no doubt that [the girl] was as responsible for the killings as [the boy] since she has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but she is saying as her defence to murder that her responsibility for the killings was lessened or diminished by her mental state. | He said: "There is no doubt that [the girl] was as responsible for the killings as [the boy] since she has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but she is saying as her defence to murder that her responsibility for the killings was lessened or diminished by her mental state. |
| "She is not denying that she was just as involved as [the boy] in being party to the killings, she wanted the killings to happen; [but] she is asserting that her mental condition at the time reduces her responsibility from murder to manslaughter. | "She is not denying that she was just as involved as [the boy] in being party to the killings, she wanted the killings to happen; [but] she is asserting that her mental condition at the time reduces her responsibility from murder to manslaughter. |
| "The prosecution case is quite simple; she will not succeed in proving that her responsibility was diminished and it is our case that she is as guilty of murder as was [the boy]." | "The prosecution case is quite simple; she will not succeed in proving that her responsibility was diminished and it is our case that she is as guilty of murder as was [the boy]." |
| The court heard the killings took place on the night of 13 April. | The court heard the killings took place on the night of 13 April. |
| Watched Twilight | Watched Twilight |
| Mr Joyce said that the boy stabbed Mrs Edwards eight times, including three times in the throat, injuring her jugular vein and almost completely cutting through her windpipe. | Mr Joyce said that the boy stabbed Mrs Edwards eight times, including three times in the throat, injuring her jugular vein and almost completely cutting through her windpipe. |
| He said the boy had then stabbed Katie twice in the neck before smothering her with a pillow. | He said the boy had then stabbed Katie twice in the neck before smothering her with a pillow. |
| He said the two teenagers had planned to stab their victims in the throat so they "would not make a noise". | He said the two teenagers had planned to stab their victims in the throat so they "would not make a noise". |
| The court heard that after the killings the two teenagers took a bath together before later watching Twilight films. | The court heard that after the killings the two teenagers took a bath together before later watching Twilight films. |
| The victims' bodies were discovered by police on 15 April, four days after the accused began plotting their deaths. | The victims' bodies were discovered by police on 15 April, four days after the accused began plotting their deaths. |
| Mr Joyce said it had originally been intended the boy would kill Mrs Edwards and the girl would kill Katie Edwards. | Mr Joyce said it had originally been intended the boy would kill Mrs Edwards and the girl would kill Katie Edwards. |
| Jurors were told the knife used to stab both victims was discovered on a table in Katie's bedroom. | Jurors were told the knife used to stab both victims was discovered on a table in Katie's bedroom. |
| In her police interview the girl told detectives the plan had been for her and the boy to take their own lives after the killings. | In her police interview the girl told detectives the plan had been for her and the boy to take their own lives after the killings. |
| Mr Joyce said: "The prosecution case is that this girl together with the boy planned and carried out the cold, calculated and callous killings. | Mr Joyce said: "The prosecution case is that this girl together with the boy planned and carried out the cold, calculated and callous killings. |
| "Afterwards there has not been a hint of remorse and the prosecution case is that she is as guilty as the boy of the murders." | "Afterwards there has not been a hint of remorse and the prosecution case is that she is as guilty as the boy of the murders." |
| The case continues. | The case continues. |