Life for woman who murdered her great uncle for his cash

A woman who stabbed her great uncle to death after he refused to hand over his cash was jailed for at least 27 years today (thurs).

Mother-of-one Kerry Donovan, 29, plunged the 18.5cm serrated hunting blade 67-year-old Junior Edwards’ chest at his home in Catford, southeast London last 18 August.

Donovan had just £6.89 in her bank account and faced losing her home over unpaid rent.

She had only managed to withdraw £50 that evening despite numerous visits to cashpoints, the Old Bailey heard.

‘She told the nurse she had financial problems,’ said prosecutor Anthony Orchard QC.

‘They had a knife with them and were prepared to use it.

‘Junior Edwards evidently refused their request.’

Callous Donovan denied murder but was convicted following a five-week Old Bailey trial by a 9-1 majority after the jury deliberated for 31 hours of deliberations.

Her cousin, Aaron Woolcock, 30, was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter.

Judge Nicholas Heathcote-Williams, QC, said: ‘The two defendants were concerned only for themselves. Neither of them lifted a finger to obtain help for Mr Edwards.

‘Although each of the must have known he was terrible injured.

‘It is clear Donovan and Woolcock left him to bleed to death without trying to get help at all.

‘He managed to run upstairs to his flat, leaving a considerable trail of blood, and closed the flat door behind him before he collapsed immediately behind the door. Somehow the knife ended up behind him.

‘The prosecution suggest Ms Donovan was reaching through the flat door.’

Donovan, who turns 30 tomorrow (fri) had been drinking and taking cocaine as well as cannabis before the killing, the court heard.

‘I reject her lurid account in her evidence about what took place there,’ the judge added.

Police were called at 4am after Mr Edwards’ downstairs neighbour, Lindsey Redman, was woken by his dog barking and heard banging noises.

He went out into the ground communal hallway area and saw two people walking from the stairs to the front door, one 6ft and the other 5ft8.

Mr Orchard told the court: ‘After the two people had exited through the front door, Mr Redman switched on the light in his flat hallway and noticed something on the walls and floor of the communal hallway.

‘He took a torch and noticed that it was blood.

‘The blood spatter continued up the stairs to Junior Edwards’ door.’

Mr Redman knocked on the door and banged on the security window but there was no answer, so he called police.

Officers arrived five minutes later and used an enforcer to try to break down the door but were still unable to get it fully open.

But one managed to squeeze through the gap and found Mr Edwards collapsed in the small lobby area just inside the door to his own flat, with a large knife lying next to his body.

He had been stabbed multiple times, suffering two wounds to the chest.

Mr Edwards also had defensive wounds to his hands.

Police and paramedics tried to save the pensioner and he was brought to Lewisham Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 5.27am.

Mr Edwards had lived at the flat on Ringstead Road for over 20 years.

Two days before his death Mr Edwards had phoned Donovan for just over a minute and they were in regular contact.

In the hour before Mr Edwards’ death she had attempted a series of cash withdrawals with her card.

Police recovered it from Mr Edwards’ building and also found a large black ladies’ purse on the floor by the door.

Mr Orchard said: ‘Inside the wallet was found a provisional driver’s licence in the name of Kerry Kysha-Lee Donovan.’

Police also found a Metro Bank card in Donovan’s name, an Oyster Card and a key that fitted the front door.

Officers also discovered a large silver clip on earring, and a knife sheath on the floor near the door.

He said that Mr Edwards’ wallet, containing £20, was found in a microwave at his flat.

The prosecutor said the two defendants were captured on CCTV after the killing.

Donovan went to A&E at Basildon Hospital in Essex the following day and told a nurse she killed her great uncle.

‘She told the nurse she was at her uncle’s house and he came to the door and had a knife in his hand.,’ Mr Orchard said.

‘Ms Donovan said she asked him what the knife was for and then had lost it.

‘She took the knife from him and stabbed him.’

Donovan then gave the nurse her great uncle’s address.

She was later arrested and made no comment when interviewed by police on August 20 while Woolcock was arrested a month later on September 20.

Mr Orchard added that the knife sheaf was scientifically tested and there was a ‘one in billion’ DNA match to Woolcock.

Donovan, of Pantile Avenue, Southend-on-Sea and Woolcock, of Inglemere Road, Forest Hill, both denied murder.

Donovan was jailed for life and a minimum of 27 years while Woolcock was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment.
ends