Woman jailed over fatal stabbing of boyfriend in Hertfordshire

WOMAN JAILED OVER FATAL STABBING OF BOYFRIEND IN HERTFORDSHIRE

A 19-year-old woman named Tammy Cassar from Cheshunt was sentenced to an indefinite prison term after pleading guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Cassar fatally stabbed her boyfriend, Ryan Walsh, aged 20, during an altercation at their flat in September 2008.

The court learned that Walsh had discovered Cassar had engaged in sexual activity with his brother.

Judge Michael Baker QC stated, "You have been considerably responsible for your actions in which drink and drugs played a very large part." Cassar, who had struggled with depression and was prescribed various medications, gave several inconsistent accounts of how Walsh was injured, including claims that he stabbed himself and that she acted in self-defense.

Police attended after ambulance services responded to an incident on the third floor of a block of flats at Grove House in Cheshunt just before 6 am on September 20, 2008.

A post-mortem revealed Walsh died from a single stab wound to the left side of his chest.

Blood tests showed both individuals were over the legal alcohol limit for driving and had consumed Class A drugs.

Cassar emphasized her mental health struggles during the trial, and the court noted she could apply for parole after serving nearly seven years, but she would only be released if no longer considered a danger, remaining on license for at least ten years.