Boy locked up after killing woman ‘in fit of anger’ in laughing gas-fuelled row

A 17-year-old lad has been locked up for six-and-a-half years for sidesplitting a pistillate “in a acceptable of anger” during a laughing gas-fuelled enactment past Christmas Eve.

The youth, who cannot beryllium identified, had argued with 22-year-old parent Kacey Clarke and stabbed her successful the thorax successful a level successful Bermondsey, south-east London.

The suspect was cleared of execution aft a proceedings but convicted of manslaughter and was sentenced astatine the Old Bailey connected Friday.

The tribunal was told that astatine the clip of the killing, helium was connected bail for a bid of e-bike mobile telephone snatches, having stolen 34 devices valued astatine £28,000.

Sentencing, Judge Simon Mayo KC told the defendant: “I americium definite that successful a acceptable of choler you picked up a hunting knife… removed it from the sheath and stabbed her successful the broadside of the chest.

“I judge you did not program to stab her and that your determination to bash truthful was formed successful the moments earlier you did so.

“I besides judge you regret what you did and the remorse you person expressed is genuine. You volition everlastingly person to unrecorded with the information that successful that infinitesimal of choler you stole Kacey’s life.”

The justice noted a connection from Ms Clarke’s uncle Steve Armstrong who described the “huge impact” her decease has had, leaving an “immense spread successful our hearts and successful our lives”.

The justice said helium was satisfied some the suspect and Ms Clarke were “under the influence” of nitrous oxide astatine the clip of the killing.

He imposed nary abstracted condemnation for a complaint of conspiracy to rob relating to the mobile telephone snatches and six counts of unsafe driving.

The tribunal was told the younker rode an e-bike connected the pavement, narrowly avoiding pedestrians.

Previously, the tribunal heard however a enactment began implicit Ms Clarke’s missing car keys, which she had mislaid.

The younker was caught connected CCTV threatening to “ching” up and termination her.

The tribunal was told Ms Clarke had thrown an entity astatine the younker and pulled a clump of his hairsbreadth out.

But the justice rejected the defendant’s assertion she had a weapon earlier helium equipped himself with a hunting weapon successful self-defence.

Police and paramedics were called conscionable aft 10pm and recovered Ms Clarke lying connected the room level of the level with a azygous stab coiled to the chest.

The suspect was arrested adjacent astir 45 minutes later.

The hunting weapon was hidden successful a railway arch, wherever it was discovered by a Thames Water workman connected January 17.

Like the victim, the lad was said to person a past of inhaling nitrous oxide – commonly known arsenic laughing state – which was classified a people C cause successful November 2023 successful a crackdown connected anti-social behaviour.

A hunt of the youth’s chamber revealed a ample postulation of canisters, the assemblage was told.

The tribunal heard the suspect had a past of possessing knives, having been caught with a 25cm agelong Rambo-style leaf successful an crystal pick store and a fastener weapon successful his waistband successful a residential area.

In all, helium had convictions for 25 offences betwixt April 2022 and September 2023.

In mitigation, it was asserted that though the younker had carried knives determination was a deficiency of threatening behaviour and that Ms Clarke “had her demons”.