Jurors given majority direction in trial of Wellingborough girl accused of murder
The 14-year-old denies murder but admits manslaughter.
Jurors have been directed towards reaching a majority verdict in the trial of a 14-year-old girl accused of murdering Marta Bednarczyk, who sustained over 140 knife injuries in March.
The panel, which first retired last Tuesday, has spent over 11 hours deliberating following a trial that included more than two weeks of evidence. They were informed by High Court Judge Mrs Justice Tipples that if a unanimous decision cannot be reached, a majority verdict agreed by at least 10 jurors would be accepted.
The teenager, who was 13 years old at the time of the attack and cannot be named for legal reasons, has admitted manslaughter but denies murdering Marta Bednarczyk, 43, in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. She claims diminished responsibility due to mental health issues.
Prosecutors allege that the killing was planned and deliberate, citing evidence of online searches and asserting their belief that the girl thought she "was getting away with murder." However, her legal team has highlighted testimony from expert witness Sir Simon Baron-Cohen, who described the presence of a "highly distressing" mental disorder affecting her judgment and self-control.
The defendant claimed during the trial that she heard voices in the months leading up to the killing, reportedly instructing her to harm others.
On the opposing side, prosecutor Samuel Skinner KC argued that the killing constituted murder because evidence suggested the young girl had planned her actions and other psychiatric professionals debated that her mental health did not influence her behaviour on the day of the attack.
At the centre of the case is whether her actions occurred under diminished responsibility or involved premeditated intent. Bednarczyk was pronounced dead at the scene in a residential property in Wellingborough, leaving prosecutors and defence teams at odds over the girl’s motivations and mental state.
The jury is expected to continue deliberating the case, determining whether the 14-year-old will face a murder charge or sentencing for manslaughter.