‘Shame on you’: dead woman’s mother
The mother of a woman murdered at a west Auckland pamper party has told her daughter’s killer she should be ashamed of what she has done.
Anna Browne was sentenced on September 29 to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of friend Carly Stewart at a pamper party in 2016.
Browne was handed down the life sentence by Justice Edwin Wylie at the High Court in Auckland. He imposed a minimum non-parole period of 12 years.
Stewart’s mother, Charlene Stewart, read a statement to the court, describing how her grandsons had been severely impacted by their mother’s death.
‘‘Carly was [a] devoted, loving, kind mum to her boys. She was their mentor, protector, their everything.’’
She told the court Stewart’s two sons now slept with weapons beside their beds.
At one point, Stewart turned to Browne and told her she should be ashamed.
‘‘Shame on you Anna Browne, how dare you murder our beautiful Carly ... clearly you knew what you were doing,’’ she said.
‘‘Once more, you made us all go through it again at trial. You are a murderer. Clearly you have a total disregard for other people’s lives.’’
Stewart’s father told the court his life had been destroyed by his daughter’s death.
Justice Wylie said Browne had a lengthy criminal record, and her most recent attack had a devastating
‘‘She was their mentor, protector, their everything’’ Charlene Stewart
effect on Stewart’s family.
‘‘You have shattered their lives and their grief is inconsolable,’’ he told Browne.
Throughout the trial, the court heard how the west Auckland party turned sour when Browne became volatile and aggressive following a few hours of drinking. Browne became involved in a brief altercation with Stewart, who she was friends with, moments before the fatal attack.
Following the tussle, Browne went into the kitchen and picked up a large knife. She approached Stewart, who was sitting down in the lounge, and stabbed her in the neck, severing a main vein.
Stewart died shortly after paramedics arrived at the scene.
It was the Crown’s case Browne had murderous intent when she stabbed Stewart.
The defence argued Browne accepted responsibility for the death, and the charge of manslaughter.