Angmering woman jailed for 12 years for murder

Officers called to Parsons Close found Adrian Ede bleeding to death from two stab wounds, after 22-year-old Alison Walder twice plunged a kitchen knife into his shoulder.

The police made valiant efforts to help Mr Ede, while other officers went about the task of collecting vital evidence, including making a "real-time" recording of comments from witnesses at the scene, including possibly the last words spoken by the victim.

This week, as Walder started her minimum 12 years' sentence, after being found guilty of murdering Mr Ede, the senior officer in charge of the inquiry paid tribute to the officers who rushed to the crime scene on the night of September 15 last year.

Supt Paul Morrison said after the Lewes Crown Court trial: "Their correct and timely actions later proved invaluable in establishing what had led to these injuries, and the eventual charging of Walder with murder and her partner Lewis Martindale with affray."

During the three-week trial, the jury heard that Walder stabbed Mr Ede twice, as he exchanged blows with Martindale outside their home in Parsons Close.

It was alleged there had been a long-standing dispute between the dead man and Martindale, 22, arising from a row over a car.

The dispute finally came to a head when the two men had a fist-fight outside Martindale and Walder's home. During the fight, Walder grabbed the knife and inflicted two stab wounds on Mr Ede, who later died of his injuries.

Walder had denied murder, but was unanimously convicted by a jury. Martindale was convicted of affray relating to the incident.

On the opening day of the trial, prosecutor Richard Camden Pratt told the jury that the three had known each other for months but that Martindale and Mr Ede had become embroiled in a dispute over a car borrowed or taken by Mr Ede.

"In any event it is clear that Ede did not return the car to Lewis Martindale. On July 29, some weeks before the incident we are concerned with, Lewis Martindale reported the car as stolen to the police.

"As a result of this complaint to the police, Adrian Ede was arrested. This led to bad feeling. As a matter of background, he was never prosecuted for stealing the car but he was arrested for it."

Mr Camden Pratt said that leading up to the murder, witnesses reported there being bad feeling between the two men.

On the day Mr Ede was killed he made two visits to see friends living in Parsons Close and it was on the second occasion the altercation broke out.

Mr Camden Pratt said: "Mr Ede had not initially noticed Mr Martindale, as he was some distance away in the porch. He seemed to notice him and said, "What's your problem?'

"Suffice to say, say the Crown, Mr Martindale was waiting outside looking for a confrontation, and was up for a fight.

"They punched and held each other."

Shortly after the fight began Walder came out of the house.

He said: "She was carrying a knife. She was seen to be carrying it when she approached the two men.

"Martindale and Ede seemed to separate for a short time and then go back together again, with Mr Ede throwing a punch at Mr Martindale.

"At that stage Walder joined in. It was likely at that stage, say the Crown, she delivered the first of two stab wounds to the deceased.

"There were two distinct stab wounds. One witness said that Ede then punched her in the face, it is likely, say the Crown, that was in response to the first stabbing by her.

"Miss Walder then moved towards Ede and struck him a second time. Ede said words to the effect of, 'You f****** bitch'."

Mr Camden Pratt said Ede sustained two stab wounds in the shoulder area.

"The Crown say this '“ that even if Alison Walder felt she needed to defend herself or even if she felt she needed to defend her boyfriend Mr Martindale, it is the Crown's case that these two stabbings with a knife could not be, either of them, a responsible or necessary act of defence of herself or her partner.

"The Crown state they were disproportionate and excessive reactions and not lawful, justified acts of self defence."

Walder insisted she did not realise she had the knife in her hand when she delivered the fatal blows.

Giving evidence, she told the jury she was cooking a curry while her boyfriend went outside for a cigarette.

When she realised a fight had broken out she ran outside, still carrying the knife she had been using to chop chicken.

Telling the court they had been threatened by Mr Ede, Walder said: "I just wanted him to leave us alone so we could get on with our lives. We didn't want trouble.

"I didn't stop to think. I just stood there for a couple of seconds. It happened really quickly. I just wanted them to stop."

Jailing Walder for life with a requirement to serve a minimum of 12 years, Judge Anthony Scott-Gall told her: "You deliberately armed yourself with a knife to go to the assistance of Martindale, who was fighting with the deceased.

"Despite warnings to drop the knife, you continued and joined in. You deliberately stabbed Adrian Ede. Not once but twice.

"This was a deliberate and cold-blooded stabbing in order to cause the deceased serious bodily harm. However, I believe it was never your intention to kill him.

"You have shown precious little remorse for what you have done. You have no feelings for the deceased. When told by the police he was dead, you thought they were lying.

"No sentence I impose will bring solace to his family."

Martindale, warned he faced jail, was bailed to appear for sentence on August 22, when reports have been compiled.