Swindon stab accused 'had two voices in her head'

Alison Connolly died after being stabbed in May

A teenager from Swindon accused of murder has said her daily cannabis use was to keep anger issues and "two voices in her head" at bay.

Charice Gassmann, 19, denies murder but admits manslaughter. Her sister, Amberstasia Gassmann, 23 denies murder.

The 19-year-old also told the jury she was head-butted by the victim Alison Connolly moments before the stabbing.

Ms Connolly, 49, of Penhill, Swindon, was attacked at Evelyn House on 12 May.

'Deep and aggressive'

CCTV footage of the attack was shown to the jury at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday.

It showed the victim appearing to head-butt Charice Gassmann at a shop in Swindon.

The court heard she ran to her sister's house after the assault and picked up a knife, although when questioned she did not remember this.

She said: "I don't know. I must have done because I didn't go anywhere else on the CCTV."

The defence asked her if she knew she had blood on her jumper from being hit on the head, which she was also unaware of at the time.

The only part she remembered was the victim shouting 'she's stabbed me, she's stabbed me'.

The 19-year-old told the court she had smoked cannabis every day from the age of 14.

The defendant also said she has a problem with anger and hears two voices in her head.

One is "deep and aggressive" which she believes is male. The other is "less deep and sarcastic" and female.

She added the female voice also tries to help her while the other "made things worse". She said some days she could contain them and other days she could not.

She also admitted hearing the voices while giving evidence in court.

The case continues.