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Stacey Hyde cleared of murdering Vincent Francis in retrial | Stacey Hyde cleared of murdering Vincent Francis in retrial |
(40 minutes later) | |
A woman who was convicted of murdering her friend's boyfriend in 2010 has walked free after a retrial. | A woman who was convicted of murdering her friend's boyfriend in 2010 has walked free after a retrial. |
Stacey Hyde, from Wells, Somerset, was jailed for a minimum of nine years for stabbing Vincent Francis to death. | Stacey Hyde, from Wells, Somerset, was jailed for a minimum of nine years for stabbing Vincent Francis to death. |
She had told her friend she "did it" for her because of the way Mr Francis treated her, the original trial heard. | |
The Court of Appeal ordered a retrial after hearing Ms Hyde had a history of abuse and was extremely vulnerable at the time of the killing. | |
It followed an appeal by the legal campaign charity Justice for Women. | |
A jury at Winchester Crown Court jury has acquitted Miss Hyde, reversing the original decision at Bristol Crown Court. | |
Mental health problems | |
Miss Hyde was 17 at the time of the stabbing, which happened at Mr Francis' flat in Charter Way, Wells. | |
The case was taken to the High Court on the grounds there was fresh evidence to support a case of diminished responsibility and reduce the conviction from murder to manslaughter. | The case was taken to the High Court on the grounds there was fresh evidence to support a case of diminished responsibility and reduce the conviction from murder to manslaughter. |
The defence said Miss Hyde had a history of mental health problems and abuse, and was extremely vulnerable at the time of the offence. | |
A spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said: "The matter was once more tried before a jury who has acquitted Ms Hyde of the offence. | |
"We respect the jury's decision in this case." |