A WOMAN accused of murder has admitted she did not tell police the truth about the circumstances surrounding a New Year’s Eve fatal stabbing.

Kelly Blackwell, 26, from Retort Close, Southend, and Hannah Sindrey, 24, from Worcester Drive, Rayleigh, are accused of killing Sindrey’s 31-year-old boyfriend, Paul Fletcher.

He was stabbed through the heart at her home in Rayleigh.

Blackwell told the jury at Basildon Crown Court she had not told police the truth about drinking and drug taking at the party in 2020.

She said: “I think I had about five or six drinks of vodka and mixer and had taken a line of cocaine.

“Paul was pressuring me and I didn’t want to as my children were there.

“He kept on and I ended up doing it.

“When I was asked by police about the drink and drugs, I didn’t mention the cocaine and told them I had about two or three drinks.”

She told the court: “With everything else going on in my head I thought that was the case but I realised after it wasn’t true.”

She insisted: “I didn’t purposely lie as I knew the police would find with tests.

“I was not trying to make things better for myself and I am not blaming others to avoid any blame on myself.”

 

Tragedy - Paul Fletcher

Tragedy - Paul Fletcher

 

The trial has previously been told how six children, all aged five or younger, were at Sindrey’s flat in Worcester Drive at the time police arrived – two of them were Sindrey’s children and four Blackwell’s.

A neighbour took the six children into her flat with her partner while police were attending, the court was told.

The jury has also been told that Sindrey met Mr Fletcher, also known as Dod, while he was on a release scheme from prison, and he was released in October 2020.

Speaking in the dock on Friday, Blackwell added: “I was not waving about a knife, the only time I had one was when I took it from Hannah and I put it in the sink.

“We were not making pack against Dod and I was not aggressive or violent towards him, Hannah was.”

Police were called by a neighbour at 12.58am on New Year’s Day and Mr Fletcher was pronounced dead at 1.48am. Officers said both Blackwell and Sindrey were “hysterical”, with Sindrey “kicking out and thrashing”.

Both defendants deny murder. The trial continues.