Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
MENTAL ILLNESS LEDTO FRENZIED STABBING
Woman acquitted of murdering friend
A woman who killed her friend after stabbing her 16 times in Coatbridge has been found not guilty of murder because she was mentally ill at the time.
Josephine Carroll, 29, attacked mum-of-one Catherine Campbell, also 29, on July 25 last year.
During her appearance via video link at the High Court in Glasgow last week it was revealed concerns were raised about Carroll, who was sectioned in June 2020 under the mental health act due to a “psychotic episode”, in the lead-up to the killing.
Judge Lady Stacey formally acquitted Carroll, also a mumof-one, of the charge and ordered her to be detained in a secure unit on an interim compulsion order.
A woman killed her friend after stabbing her 16 times as they walked down a lane in the early hours of the morning.
Josephine Carroll, 29, repeatedly stabbed Catherine Campbell, also 29, in Coatbridge, on July 25 last year.
At the High Court in Glasgow earlier this month, Carroll was found not guilty of murdering mum-of-one Miss Campbell because she was mentally ill at the time.
Judge Lady Stacey formally acquitted Carroll, also a mum-of-one, of the charge and ordered her to be detained in a secure unit on an interim compulsion order.
The court heard, in the lead up to the killing, concerns were raised about Carroll, who was sectioned in June 2020 under the mental health act due to a“psychotic episode”and “delusional beliefs”. Her mental health appeared to improve, although she claimed to see bones and babies’skin, but it was decided she did not required hospitalisation.
The court heard Carroll and Miss Campbell went to a friend’s house and left at 5am.
As they walked down the lane, Carroll grabbed Miss Campbell by the hair, exposing her neck.
Prosecutor Lynsey Macdonald said that suddenly Carrol launched an attack on her pal.
She added:“carroll was seen kicking her and making a punching motion while she was on the ground.”
A 999 call was made and police found a red knife near to Miss Campbell, who was unconscious.
She suffered wounds to her scalp, face and neck and upper body.
She was pronounced dead at 5.43am and her cause of death was “incised wounds to head and neck”. Carroll was later arrested.
Defence counsel Donald Findlay QC said:“this was demonstrably a sad and tragic case, as these always are.
“The question is now, what becomes of Josephine Carroll. Anyone involved with her has noted a general improvement in her condition.
“I would suggest an interim order that will keep her where she is as this will allow a further evaluation and the court can then make a final determination.
“She knows there will be no fixed term and the practice isn’t to jail her but to prepare her to return to society.”
Judge Stacey told Carroll , who appeared via a video link, that the interim order was imposed to“take care of her medical condition and manage it which is in the public interes”.
The case was deferred until May.