Farieissia Martin to appeal against murder conviction

A woman serving a life sentence for stabbing her ex-partner to death has won the first stage of a bid to overturn her murder conviction.

Farieissia Martin, 26, stabbed Kyle Farrell, 21, during a row at her home in Charlecote Street, Dingle, Liverpool, in November 2014.

The mother-of-two was jailed for at least 13 years at Liverpool Crown Court in June 2015.

The Court of Appeal has given her the go-ahead to challenge the verdict.

Clare Wade QC, for Martin, said a forensic psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist have both concluded she was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic amnesia at the time of the killing, and her ability to exercise self control would have been "substantially impaired".

The court heard Martin was the repeated victim of domestic abuse during the five-year relationship with Mr Farrell, including physical violence, insults, and isolation from family and friends.

Lady Justice Simler, sitting at the court with Mr Justice Soole and Judge Martin Picton, said it was "arguable" evidence about the mental disorders Martin had at the time of the killing would have affected the jury's verdict.

The appeal bid follows the successful challenge brought by Sally Challen over her conviction for the murder of her husband Richard.

Challen's conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal in a landmark decision in February, after her lawyers argued she had been the victim of her husband's coercive and controlling behaviour throughout their marriage.

She admitted manslaughter and walked free from the Old Bailey in June, having served nine years in prison, after a judge announced she would not be retried for murder.

No date was set for Martin's appeal, which is expected to last a day and a half.