Woman, 22, sobs hysterically as she’s jailed for knifing dad-of-one to death in street fight ‘to defend her own father’ – The Sun
A CONVICTED murderer sobbed in court as she was jailed for life for brutally stabbing a man to death in the back with a kitchen knife.
Clara Butler, 22, was convicted for murdering father-of-one Lance Martin in a street fight after jurors rejected her claim she was defending her dad.
Butler, of Marlborough Road, Allenton, previously admitted stabbing Mr Martin four times in the back in St Thomas Road, Normanton, Derbyshire.
But she claimed during her trial that she was trying to defend her father, Jamie Butler, who was fighting with Mr Martin at the time.
Yesterday, Clara Butler was convicted of murder by a jury of six men and six women.
After the jury returned their verdict, silence in court was filled by the sobbing of Bulter as she realised her fate.
Father Jamie Butler, 43, also of Marlborough Road, Allenton, was cleared last week of manslaughter.
His other daughter Francesca Butler, 24, and her partner Kieran Bareham, 31, both of Portland Street, Normanton, were also cleared of murder.
But Bareham has since been convicted of assisting an offender and was also sentenced today.
Her Honour Judge Nirmal Shant QC sentenced Butler to life in prison with a minimum of 20 years.
Bareham was sentenced to two years in prison.
The court previously heard how Mr Martin was drunk in the lead-up to his death in the early hours of February 28.
He argued with Clara Butler in Portland Street before making his way on to St Thomas Road.
The court heard how he struck six different people and ended up in a fight with Mr Butler.
While Mr Martin was on top of Mr Butler, Clara Butler jumped on the victim’s back and stabbed him four times.
One blow saw the blade go through his lung and heart. Two others punctured his lung and the fourth went into his spleen.
Mr Martin then staggered up Pear Tree Road and collapsed close to Pear Tree Police Station.
He was declared dead around an hour later.
Source: Read Full Article