Girl accused of woman's murder 'heard voices'

Marta Bednarczyk died at a house in Wellingborough in March

A 13-year-old girl accused of murdering a woman has told a jury she heard voices telling her to harm other people in the months before the killing.

The teenager also told jurors that she had Googled "what happens when a 13-year-old murders?" out of "pure curiosity".

Marta Bednarczyk, 43, was stabbed to death and her body was burned in a fire at a terraced property in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, on 10 March.

Jurors at Lincoln Crown Court have been told the girl accepts unlawfully killing Ms Bednarczyk - who suffered more than 140 knife wounds - but denies murder, claiming diminished responsibility.

Her trial was told she had visited a website - showing material relating to people dying - four months before the killing.

Giving evidence on Tuesday, the defendant, who cannot be identified due to her age, was asked why she had viewed the violent online material.

"I just stumbled across it and I was curious what it would be."

The girl said the voices telling her to hurt people had left her feeling scared.

'Why do I feel this way?'

During questioning from defence barrister Mary Prior KC, the teenager was asked why she had searched the internet for: "How do I know if I have got a mental illness?"

The defendant responded: "I didn't really have many friends so I just relied on Google to tell me.

"I was hearing voices in my head. I felt like I just had an issue with myself and I am like 'Why do I feel this way?'."

Less than a week before the alleged murder, the court heard, the girl sent herself a message saying she did not recognise herself any more and wanted to die.

Asked if she remembered writing the message, the teenager told the jury: "That's how I was feeling for that entire month and ever since."

The trial has heard the teenager was taken to hospital after her arrest, where she was seen smiling by a police officer and a nurse and did not appear to be "confused or responding to voices telling her what to do".

Opening the prosecution's case, Samuel Skinner KC said the girl initially claimed a third party had attacked the victim.

Alleging that the killing had been planned for several weeks, Mr Skinner said the teenager sent messages to friends saying she "probably wouldn't be in school for a while" and had "plainly thought she was getting away with murder".

The prosecutor said it was "the sad truth" that what lay behind the killing may never be known, but alleged it had nothing to do with the girl's mental health.

The trial continues.