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| Casey Kearney stabbing trial: woman accused of killing 13-year-old | Casey Kearney stabbing trial: woman accused of killing 13-year-old |
| (6 days later) | |
| A woman with a troubled history has gone on trial accused of murdering a 13-year-old girl by stabbing her in the abdomen during a motiveless attack in a park earlier this year. | A woman with a troubled history has gone on trial accused of murdering a 13-year-old girl by stabbing her in the abdomen during a motiveless attack in a park earlier this year. |
| Hannah Bonser, 26, is accused of murdering Casey Kearney, who was found fatally injured in a park in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, on 14 February. Police at the time described it as a random and unprovoked attack. | Hannah Bonser, 26, is accused of murdering Casey Kearney, who was found fatally injured in a park in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, on 14 February. Police at the time described it as a random and unprovoked attack. |
| Three days before Kearney's death, Bonser told a friend she was going to kill her ex-boyfriend and threatened to "get anyone else who crossed her", Sheffield crown court heard. | Three days before Kearney's death, Bonser told a friend she was going to kill her ex-boyfriend and threatened to "get anyone else who crossed her", Sheffield crown court heard. |
| Prosecuting, Graham Reeds QC, said: "On 11 February, she went to see one of her friends, a woman called Hayley Spouse, and told her that she was going to stab her ex-boyfriend to death because he had made her have an abortion years ago and she hadn't wanted to do it, and then she was going to get anyone else who crossed her in her life." The friend thought Bonser's behaviour had been "odd" since the beginning of summer 2011, the barrister added. On the morning of Kearney's death, Bonser bought two kitchen knives, the jury heard. | Prosecuting, Graham Reeds QC, said: "On 11 February, she went to see one of her friends, a woman called Hayley Spouse, and told her that she was going to stab her ex-boyfriend to death because he had made her have an abortion years ago and she hadn't wanted to do it, and then she was going to get anyone else who crossed her in her life." The friend thought Bonser's behaviour had been "odd" since the beginning of summer 2011, the barrister added. On the morning of Kearney's death, Bonser bought two kitchen knives, the jury heard. |
| As Bonser approached Kearney, who was walking through Elmfield park, she pulled out the larger of her two knives "and stabbed her once in the abdomen, causing such severe internal injuries, that Kearney later died," he said. "The attack was sudden and caught Kearney completely unawares." He said there was no argument, shouting, nor warning that anything was about to happen. Two 10-year-old children in a nearby playground heard no screams and saw no signs of a struggle. After the attack, Bonser walked out of the park. | As Bonser approached Kearney, who was walking through Elmfield park, she pulled out the larger of her two knives "and stabbed her once in the abdomen, causing such severe internal injuries, that Kearney later died," he said. "The attack was sudden and caught Kearney completely unawares." He said there was no argument, shouting, nor warning that anything was about to happen. Two 10-year-old children in a nearby playground heard no screams and saw no signs of a struggle. After the attack, Bonser walked out of the park. |
| According to the prosecution, the attack was sudden, there was no warning, no argument and no screams were head. After she was stabbed, Kearney was able to call 999 from her mobile phone to get help but her injuries were "irreversible and unsurvivable" Reeds said. | According to the prosecution, the attack was sudden, there was no warning, no argument and no screams were head. After she was stabbed, Kearney was able to call 999 from her mobile phone to get help but her injuries were "irreversible and unsurvivable" Reeds said. |
| Reeds told the court: "Hannah Bonser is a woman with a troubled history, who was in regular contact with outreach workers at Rethink – which is a service which assists those in Doncaster with mental health difficulties. In October 2011, she had spent a short time in a psychiatric hospital in Doncaster. It cannot be known why Hannah Bonser went to the park that afternoon. She later declined to answer police questions and she now claims to have no memory of what she did." | Reeds told the court: "Hannah Bonser is a woman with a troubled history, who was in regular contact with outreach workers at Rethink – which is a service which assists those in Doncaster with mental health difficulties. In October 2011, she had spent a short time in a psychiatric hospital in Doncaster. It cannot be known why Hannah Bonser went to the park that afternoon. She later declined to answer police questions and she now claims to have no memory of what she did." |
| He said Kearney, who lived in the village of Rossington, near Doncaster, was on her way to a friend's house when she was attacked and had missed her intended bus-stop. She walked through the park after getting off at the next stop. | He said Kearney, who lived in the village of Rossington, near Doncaster, was on her way to a friend's house when she was attacked and had missed her intended bus-stop. She walked through the park after getting off at the next stop. |
| He said the defendant apparently accepts that she is the person who killed Kearney by stabbing her with the large kitchen knife through the abdomen. The stab wounds caused "irreversible and unsurvivable" damage to her body. The prosecution claims Bonser intended to kill the teenager, or cause real serious harm. Bonser, of Cusworth House, Doncaster, denies murder. During her appearance in the dock, she wore a baggy blue T-shirt and grey tracksuit bottoms. She was flanked by four security guards. | He said the defendant apparently accepts that she is the person who killed Kearney by stabbing her with the large kitchen knife through the abdomen. The stab wounds caused "irreversible and unsurvivable" damage to her body. The prosecution claims Bonser intended to kill the teenager, or cause real serious harm. Bonser, of Cusworth House, Doncaster, denies murder. During her appearance in the dock, she wore a baggy blue T-shirt and grey tracksuit bottoms. She was flanked by four security guards. |
| "Deliberately stabbing another person through the abdomen with a large kitchen knife is an action that speaks for itself about the intention of the person who did it," he said. | "Deliberately stabbing another person through the abdomen with a large kitchen knife is an action that speaks for itself about the intention of the person who did it," he said. |
| Reeds said after the attack, Bonser went to the Rethink offices and told an outreach worker she had killed somebody. He said the defendant then produced the two knives. One had a 6.3in (16cm) blade and had Kearney's blood on it. Reeds said blood was later also found on the inside of Bonser's sleeve. | Reeds said after the attack, Bonser went to the Rethink offices and told an outreach worker she had killed somebody. He said the defendant then produced the two knives. One had a 6.3in (16cm) blade and had Kearney's blood on it. Reeds said blood was later also found on the inside of Bonser's sleeve. |
| The prosecutor said this indicated "that after she had stabbed Kearney with that large knife, the defendant deliberately secreted it up her sleeve so as not to draw attention to herself as she walked out of the park". | The prosecutor said this indicated "that after she had stabbed Kearney with that large knife, the defendant deliberately secreted it up her sleeve so as not to draw attention to herself as she walked out of the park". |
| Police who searched Bonser's flat after the attack found marks and cuts in one of the doors, which were found to have been made with a knife in a "forcible upward movement", the court heard. Reeds said the marks were made at a similar height to the stab wound inflicted on Kearney. | Police who searched Bonser's flat after the attack found marks and cuts in one of the doors, which were found to have been made with a knife in a "forcible upward movement", the court heard. Reeds said the marks were made at a similar height to the stab wound inflicted on Kearney. |
| "Although there is no means of ascertaining when the cuts were made in the door, they raise legitimate questions about whether the defendant had prepared for, or had practised, inflicting a stab wound at a similar height," he said. | "Although there is no means of ascertaining when the cuts were made in the door, they raise legitimate questions about whether the defendant had prepared for, or had practised, inflicting a stab wound at a similar height," he said. |
| The prosecutor said it was likely Bonser will claim the partial defence of diminished responsibility which would reduce what she did to manslaughter. | The prosecutor said it was likely Bonser will claim the partial defence of diminished responsibility which would reduce what she did to manslaughter. |
| But he said the prosecution rejected the claim that the defendant "was suffering from an abnormality of mental functioning which arose from a recognised medical condition". | But he said the prosecution rejected the claim that the defendant "was suffering from an abnormality of mental functioning which arose from a recognised medical condition". |
| Reeds told the jury of four men and eight women the background to the attack "presents a picture of the defendant in control of her actions and able to function without attracting any adverse attention before she went into the park and stabbed a stranger with a knife she then concealed in her clothing as she quietly made good her escape". | Reeds told the jury of four men and eight women the background to the attack "presents a picture of the defendant in control of her actions and able to function without attracting any adverse attention before she went into the park and stabbed a stranger with a knife she then concealed in her clothing as she quietly made good her escape". |
| The court heard that during a police interview, Bonser's solicitor said: "She's hearing voices telling her to do things and not to do things. It's a bit unclear what the situation is but they are obviously troubling her. | The court heard that during a police interview, Bonser's solicitor said: "She's hearing voices telling her to do things and not to do things. It's a bit unclear what the situation is but they are obviously troubling her. |
| "It's something that has been with her for some time and she has decided she does not want to answer questions about this particular incident." | "It's something that has been with her for some time and she has decided she does not want to answer questions about this particular incident." |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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