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Boy jailed for Christmas Eve laughing gas killing

PA Media A police sniffer dog works at the scene outside Spenlow House in Jamaica Road, Bermondsey, south east London, where a 22-year-old woman died from a stab injury on Christmas Eve.PA Media
A police sniffer dog works at the scene on Jamaica Road, Bermondsey where Kacey Clarke died from a stab injury

A 17-year-old boy has been detained for six-and-a-half years for killing a woman "in a fit of anger" during a laughing gas-fuelled argument last Christmas Eve.

The teenager, who cannot be identified because of his age, had fought with Kacey Clarke, 22, and stabbed her in the chest in a flat in Bermondsey, south-east London.

He was cleared of murder after a trial but convicted of manslaughter and was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday.

The court was told that at the time of the killing, he was on bail for a series of e-bike mobile phone snatches, having stolen 34 devices valued at a total of £28,000.

PA Media Police officer and police tape outside the block of flats where a 22-year-old woman was stabbed to death in a fight with a 16-year-old boyPA Media
The victim, Kacey Clarke, died on Christmas Eve from a stab wound to her chest

Sentencing, Judge Simon Mayo KC told the defendant: "I am sure that in a fit of anger you picked up a hunting knife… removed it from the sheath and stabbed her in the side of the chest.

"I accept you did not plan to stab her and that your decision to do so was formed in the moments before you did so."

Judge Mayo said he was satisfied both the defendant and Ms Clarke were "under the influence" of nitrous oxide at the time of the killing.

Previously, the court heard how a row began over Ms Clarke’s missing car keys.

The 17-year-old was caught on CCTV threatening to "ching" up and kill her.

The court was told the pair had a physical fight including hair-pulling and throwing objects, but the judge rejected the defendant’s claim Ms Clarke had a knife.

Police and paramedics were called just after 22:00 GMT and found Ms Clarke lying on the kitchen floor of the flat with a single stab wound to the chest.

The defendant was arrested nearby around 45 minutes later.

The hunting knife he had used was hidden in a railway arch.

Both Ms Clarke and the boy had a history of inhaling nitrous oxide, which was classified a class C drug in November 2023.

A search of the boy's bedroom revealed a large collection of canisters, the jury was told.

The court heard the defendant had a history of possessing knives, having previously been caught with a 25cm (10in) long Rambo-style blade in an ice cream shop and a lock knife in his waistband in a residential area.

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