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Stacey Hyde cleared of murder in retrial Stacey Hyde cleared of murder in retrial
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A young woman who faced a retrial for the murder of man with a history of domestic violence has been acquitted after a jury heard how she acted in self-defence. A young woman who faced a retrial for the murder of man with a history of domestic violence has been acquitted after a jury heard how she acted in self-defence. Stacey Hyde, 22, was ordered to face a second trial by the director of public prosecutions, Alison Saunders, after the court of appeal quashed her original murder conviction last year.
Stacey Hyde, 22, was ordered to face a second trial by the director of public prosecutions, Alison Saunders, after the court of appeal quashed her original murder conviction last year.
The appeal court said the conviction was unsafe after new medical evidence showed Hyde had a mental disorder when she killed Vincent Francis.The appeal court said the conviction was unsafe after new medical evidence showed Hyde had a mental disorder when she killed Vincent Francis.
Lawyers for Hyde, from Wells, Somerset, offered a guilty plea to manslaughter, but Saunders refused and ordered the 22-year-old to be retried for murder. A jury acquitted Hyde on Thursday at Winchester crown court following a three-week trial.Lawyers for Hyde, from Wells, Somerset, offered a guilty plea to manslaughter, but Saunders refused and ordered the 22-year-old to be retried for murder. A jury acquitted Hyde on Thursday at Winchester crown court following a three-week trial.
Related: Stacey Hyde wins appeal against murder convictionRelated: Stacey Hyde wins appeal against murder conviction
Justice for Women, which took up Hyde’s case following her conviction, questioned the public interest of putting her through a second trial. Due to Hyde’s mental state an intermediary was appointed by the court to sit in the dock to explain the proceedings to her. Justice for Women, which took up Hyde’s case following her conviction, questioned the public interest of putting her through a second trial. Due to Hyde’s mental state, an intermediary was appointed by the court to sit in the dock to explain the proceedings to her.
Julia Hilliard, of Justice for Women, said: “This cannot possibly have been in the public interest: to put an already traumatised and mentally ill young woman through the experience of a second trial, and to spend a large amount of public money on this when the court of appeal quashed her conviction, she has already served five and a half years of a nine-year sentence, and has offered a guilty plea to manslaughter.”Julia Hilliard, of Justice for Women, said: “This cannot possibly have been in the public interest: to put an already traumatised and mentally ill young woman through the experience of a second trial, and to spend a large amount of public money on this when the court of appeal quashed her conviction, she has already served five and a half years of a nine-year sentence, and has offered a guilty plea to manslaughter.”
Outside the court Hyde said on Thursday: “I would like to say thank you to Justice for Women, my legal team, friends and family for believing in me and giving me hope and strength to never give up. I will be forever grateful and blessed to have been given my life back.” Outside the court, Hyde said on Thursday: “I would like to say thank you to Justice for Women, my legal team, friends and family for believing in me and giving me hope and strength to never give up. I will be for ever grateful and blessed to have been given my life back.”
Francis, 33, also from Wells, had a history of violence towards women. It was acknowledged by the prosecution that there had been 27 separate incidents of domestic violence between him and his girlfriend, Holly Banwell, and that he had also been violent towards his previous girlfriend.Francis, 33, also from Wells, had a history of violence towards women. It was acknowledged by the prosecution that there had been 27 separate incidents of domestic violence between him and his girlfriend, Holly Banwell, and that he had also been violent towards his previous girlfriend.
On the night he died, Francis had attacked Banwell at their flat while Hyde – who had been drinking – was sleeping. When Banwell screamed for her friend’s help, Hyde came to her aid and jumped on Francis’s back. On the night he died, Francis had attacked Banwell at their flat, while Hyde – who had been drinking – was sleeping. When Banwell screamed for her friend’s help, Hyde came to her aid and jumped on Francis’s back.
In the violent struggle that followed Francis grabbed Hyde around the throat and threw her around by her hair, smashing her into a wall at one point. Hyde told the latest trial she believed she had acted in self-defence. In the violent struggle that followed, Francis grabbed Hyde around the throat and threw her around by her hair, smashing her into a wall at one point. Hyde told the latest trial she believed she had acted in self-defence.
“She was screaming for me to help her – I came in running and jumped on his back to pull him off her,” Hyde told the jury. “Next thing I remember is he is on top of me and he is strangling me – I remember him holding my neck down and the light fading. “She was screaming for me to help her. I came in running and jumped on his back to pull him off her,” Hyde told the jury. “Next thing I remember is he is on top of me and he is strangling me – I remember him holding my neck down and the light fading. I was screaming – I know he was going to kill me, he is not stopping – no one was coming to help.”
“I was screaming – I know he was going to kill me, he is not stopping – no one was coming to help.”
When the police arrived, Hyde was extremely distressed and sobbing. She told officers: “He tried to kill me. I was so scared. I had to help Holly. He was going to kill her. I thought he would kill me. I stabbed him.”When the police arrived, Hyde was extremely distressed and sobbing. She told officers: “He tried to kill me. I was so scared. I had to help Holly. He was going to kill her. I thought he would kill me. I stabbed him.”
In a recording of a 999 call, Banwell can be heard saying: “My boyfriend is beating my friend. I need the police ASAP. They are fighting.” Then she is heard screaming “Stacey has a knife and has stabbed him”. In a recording of a 999 call, Banwell can be heard saying: “My boyfriend is beating my friend. I need the police ASAP. They are fighting.” Then she is heard screaming, “Stacey has a knife and has stabbed him.”
Stephen Kamlish QC, defending, told the jury she had acted as a result of provocation, in self-defence and provided what he said was compelling new evidence that Hyde was suffering from an abnormality of the mind that substantially diminished her responsibility for the killing. Stephen Kamlish QC, defending, told the jury that Hyde had acted as a result of provocation, in self-defence, and provided what he said was compelling new evidence that Hyde was suffering from an abnormality of the mind that substantially diminished her responsibility for the killing.
In a letter to the DPP before the retrial, lawyers for Hyde said she should be given the opportunity to plead guilty to manslaughter as there was no public interest in retrying her for murder. In a letter to the DPP before the retrial, lawyers for Hyde said she should be given the opportunity to plead guilty to manslaughter as there was no public interest in retrying her for murder. “Ms Hyde was 17 at the time of the offence and is now recognised to be a very vulnerable young woman who has served over five years’ custody for the offence for which she was given a nine-year tariff. She continues to suffer from mental illness and is at risk of suicide and self-harm,” said Harriet Wistrich, of Birnberg Peirce.
“Ms Hyde was 17 at the time of the offence and is now recognised to be a very vulnerable young woman who has served over five years’ custody for the offence for which she was given a nine-year tariff. She continues to suffer from mental illness and is at risk of suicide and self harm,” said Harriet Wistrich, of Birnberg Peirce. She said there was no evidence to suggest that the killing was premeditated. “It was clearly a spontaneous response to an act of violence by the victim and it occurred at a time when the defendant was undergoing a mental health crisis.” The DPP did not accept the plea.
She said there was no evidence to suggest the killing was premeditated, adding: “It was clearly a spontaneous response to an act of violence by the victim and it occurred at a time when the defendant was undergoing a mental health crisis.” The DPP declined to accept the plea.
Related: Behind Stacey Hyde’s conviction for murder lies a failed mental health system | Julie BindelRelated: Behind Stacey Hyde’s conviction for murder lies a failed mental health system | Julie Bindel
Amanda Joss, a family friend who has offered to house Hyde when she is released, said: “Yes she did it, she doesn’t deny that she killed him but she has served her time. She didn’t go out with the intention of killing someone, it was a frenzied attack, she was terrified, you can hear it on the 999 tape. A family friend, who has offered to house Hyde when she is released, said: “Yes, she did it – she doesn’t deny that she killed him – but she has served her time. She didn’t go out with the intention of killing someone. It was a frenzied attack, she was terrified – you can hear it on the 999 tape.
“No one knows what they will do if they are being attacked, he was a big man who went to the gym every day. It’s not as if she emerged unscathed. She had marks around her neck, she had cuts to her body, he pulled out her hair.” “No one knows what they will do if they are being attacked. He was a big man who went to the gym every day. It’s not as if she emerged unscathed. She had marks around her neck, she had cuts to her body, he pulled out her hair.”
Hyde was convicted of murder at her first trial in 2010. She was sentenced to life with the recommendation she serve a minimum of nine years in prison. The judge took into account the violence initiated against her when he sentenced her. Hyde was convicted of murder at her first trial in 2010. She was sentenced to life with the recommendation that she serve a minimum of nine years in prison. The judge took into account the violence initiated against her when he sentenced her.
A CPS spokesperson said: “Following a successful appeal by the defence against Stacey Hyde’s original conviction for murder, the court of appeal were invited, by the defence, to substitute the conviction for one of manslaughter.A CPS spokesperson said: “Following a successful appeal by the defence against Stacey Hyde’s original conviction for murder, the court of appeal were invited, by the defence, to substitute the conviction for one of manslaughter.
“They declined to do so, stating that a life had been taken and ordered a retrial for murder. The evidence was reconsidered by CPS South West and a decision was made that under the code for crown prosecutors a prosecution for murder was still appropriate. 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.” “They declined to do so, stating that a life had been taken, and ordered a retrial for murder. The evidence was reconsidered by CPS South West and a decision was made that under the code for crown prosecutors, a prosecution for murder was still appropriate. The matter was once more tried before a jury, which has acquitted Ms Hyde of the offence. We respect the jury’s decision in this case.”