Woman who murdered neighbour in debt row jailed

Brenda Heslop was sentenced to a minimum jail term of 20 years

A woman who murdered her neighbour over a gambling debt has been jailed for a minimum of 20 years.

Brenda Heslop, 63, stabbed 68-year-old John Hardy in the street in Elswick, Newcastle, in November last year.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Heslop, who suffers from serious mental health problems, told police she had not intended to kill Mr Hardy but wanted to scare him into repaying her £60.

Handing down a life sentence, Judge Bindloss said Heslop's motivation for the murder was "misplaced anger and frustration and a desire to teach Mr Hardy a lesson".

The court heard Heslop regularly loaned Mr Hardy money to fund his gambling addiction and a dispute had arisen after she had leant him £40 on condition he would repay her £60.

At about 18:00 GMT on the day of the murder, Heslop armed herself with a kitchen knife and went to Mr Hardy's home where she banged on the door and shouted for him.

John Hardy's family said he was kind and loving and never harmed anybody

Mr Hardy had been out withdrawing £50 for a friend but was confronted by his neighbour on his return.

Heslop then stabbed him twice in the chest and once in the hand.

She took the £50 and said: "That's just the tip of the iceberg."

Mr Hardy managed to make it to a friend's house, who called an ambulance, but he died on the way to hospital.

Northumbria Police officers arrested Heslop at her home and on hearing she was being arrested for murder, she said: "Oh, he's never died, has he?"

Det Ch Insp Mark Atherton said Mr Hardy had been killed in "one of the cruellest ways possible".

Mr Hardy's family said their lives had been changed for ever and they will live with the "nightmare" of his death every day.

They thanked his neighbours who came to his aid and gave him comfort before he died.

"We sincerely hope that the perpetrator of this horrific crime takes the time to reflect on what she has done and the impact it has had on our family," they said.

Judge Bindloss said although Heslop had significant mental health issues there was no evidence she was having an incidence of psychosis at the time of the stabbing.

He did not believe she wanted to kill Mr Hardy, but had intended to cause him "really serious harm".

Heslop was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 20 years, but will serve a minimum of 19 years in prison as she has already spent a year on remand.

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