A woman stabbed her neighbour to death just hours after walking free from court, a jury has heard.
Kayleigh Hewitt forced her way into Angela Lloyd’s home before killing her in what prosecutors described as a brutal and frenzied attack. The killing happened shortly after Hewitt had appeared in court on a separate matter and been released.
The trial, currently underway in England, has heard how Hewitt gained entry to Lloyd’s home before stabbing her multiple times. Prosecutors told the court the attack was relentless, with Lloyd suffering catastrophic injuries that left her with no chance of survival.
Jurors were told that the timing of the killing was particularly shocking given that Hewitt had only recently been processed through the justice system and let go. Within hours of that release, Angela Lloyd was dead.
The court heard that Lloyd, described by those who knew her as a vulnerable woman, had no real means of defending herself against the attack. Hewitt allegedly forced entry into the property, removing any chance Lloyd had of keeping her out.
Prosecutors painted a picture of a calculated and violent assault, telling the jury that what happened inside that home was nothing short of devastating. The word “butchered” was used in court to describe the nature of the injuries Lloyd sustained.
The case has raised serious questions about the circumstances surrounding Hewitt’s release and whether more could have been done to protect Lloyd in the hours that followed. Those questions are likely to grow louder as the trial continues and more details emerge about the relationship between the two women and the events leading up to the killing.
Hewitt has denied the charges against her. The trial continues.
Absolutely terrifying. That poor neighbour had no idea what was coming their way. The system completely failed here and someone needs to be held accountable for letting her walk out of that courtroom.