Woman killed friend and lived with body for 11 days

Zoe Crowther was described as "kind-hearted and loving" by her family

A woman who stabbed her friend and mother-of-three to death then lived with the body for 11 days has been detained indefinitely in hospital under the Mental Health Act.

The body of mother-of-three Zoe Crowther, 51, was discovered by police in a ground floor flat on Walmsley Close in the village of Church, near Accrington, at about 12:25 GMT on 14 January after reports of a smell from the property.

Janet Connor, 53, also of Walmsley Close, was charged with her murder, but the prosecution later accepted a guilty plea to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

Lancashire Police said Connor told officers "I've done something bad, I've killed her" when they gained entry to the flat.

Connor was given an indefinite hospital order at Preston Crown Court earlier.

Following the sentencing, Ms Crowther's daughter, Gabby, said: "Not only did Janet Connor take away my mum's life, she took a piece of me too."

DCI Andy Fallows said Mrs Crowther's three children had been "profoundly impacted by the untimely and brutal ending of their mother's life".

'Nightmares'

Police arrived at the ground floor flat after reports about a smell, and had to gain access to the property by climbing through an open kitchen window.

Connor told the officer who arrived at the scene she had "done something bad" and admitted that the body had been in the flat for a week.

A post-mortem examination found she had died as a result of a stab wound to the neck, and had also suffered wounds to her head.

It also revealed Connor had killed her 11 days earlier on 3 January.

Officers had been to the property that day after Ms Crowther rang Lancashire Police.

The force said it had referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct over this contact.

Ms Crowther had also called a friend on two separate occasions that day to say that Connor was hitting her and that they were arguing about a television.

She called the same woman again 11 minutes later at 23.17 GMT on the day she was killed and she said she could hear a scuffle and was asking for help, police said.

In a statement Zoe's daughter Summer said "her being taken away from us in the manner she has, has broken my heart.

"I have had nightmares about how scared she would have been and how alone she must have felt in those moments," she added.