A tearful mother-of-five was today (Tuesday) clear
A tearful mother-of-five was today (Tuesday) cleared of killing her partner in a violent domestic row – claiming she stabbed him in the chest in self-defence.
Glasgow-born Angela Reilly, who suffered years of drunken abuse, had been beaten over the head with a child’s toy scooter and feared she would again fall victim to his temper.
The couple’s young twins were in the house as an argument descended into violence and 32-year-old Terry Thatcher received the single fatal wound.
Hysterical Reilly, 38, ran into the street screaming for someone to call an ambulance – but despite emergency treatment, neighbours valiantly trying to save the dying man’s life on ‘phoned instructions from the medical everts, her lover died around two hours later.
At London’s Southwark Crown Court, the tearful mother, of (24) Tilecroft Road, Norwood, se London was cleared murder and manslaughter on March 13, this year.
She stood shaking in the dock, clasping the hand of a solicitor, as the not guilty verdict was returned by a jury of four women and eight men after an hour’s deliberating.
Reilly had told the panel how she had grabbed a knife in an attempt to get Thatcher, father of three of her children, to back off.
‘He ran towards me, everything was chaotic.
.
.
I did not mean to stab him,’ she said.
Outside court and still visibly shaken, she said: ‘I am just so very relieved it’s all over but I am also very sad.
‘It was just a tragic accident – I will never forget what happened.
‘
She added: ‘Now I just want to start a new life with my children and I am going to Glasgow to join them.
‘
Ann Curnow, QC, prosecuting, alleged Reilly had deliberately stabbed the former nightclub bouncer who had been taken by surprise.
‘It appears from the evidence we have available from the next door neighbours, an argument broke out at some stage on that day,’ said Miss Curnow.
‘Around about 2pm in the afternoon, a passer-by in the street saw Reilly, the defendant, in a hysterical state, shouting for an ambulance.
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She said the cause of death was the single stab wound with a kitchen knife, the dead man ‘had obviously been taken by surprise because there were no defensive injuries.
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Such was the state of the defendant, she had to be prescribed drugs at Bromley Hospital before she could be interviewed by police.
And advised by a solicitor, she later submitted a prepared statement to solicitors.
It read: ‘Terry and I argued about money, he was very drunk and abusive, he smashed things in the living room.
‘
Reilly said her partner ‘became violent’ and had swung a children’s scooter.
‘I put my arms over my head as he swung it and blocked it.
‘
She said trapped in the kitchen she had reached for a knife as she was attacked again with the toy and struck over the head.
‘I swung the knife towards him.
I feared for my safety.
.
.
I didn’t mean to injure him.
.
.
I didn’t intend to harm him.
‘
The court heard Thatcher was stabbed in the kitchen but, grievously injured’ left a trail of blood as he ‘staggered’ into the living room and collapsed.
Ms Curnow said test showed that Reilly and Thatcher had been drinking and smoking cannabis prior to the incident.
Reilly was found to have a blood alcohol reading of 170mg per 100ml, more than twice the legal limit for driving, Thatcher 180mg in 100ml.
ends
