November 26, 2015 1.33 pm This story is over 100 months old

Woman jailed for seven years after confessing to stabbing popular Lincoln dad

Sentenced: A woman who killed a popular Lincoln dad when she lashed out with a kitchen knife while being attacked by a group of men has been jailed for seven years.
Kieley Davis

A woman who killed a popular Lincoln dad when she lashed out with a kitchen knife while being attacked by a group of men was jailed for seven years on Thursday, November 26.

Kieley Davis, 29, admitted a charge of manslaughter following the death of 39-year-old Robert Taylor on April 17 this year.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Taylor and two other men had gone to a flat in Walnut Place, off Lincoln High Street, looking for Bradley Taylor, the boyfriend of Davis.

The court was told Bradley Taylor had previously served a jail sentence for stabbing Robert Taylor, who was no relation, in 2012.

On the day before Robert Taylor lost his life, Bradley Taylor had also gone to his home in Edna Street, Lincoln, and made a threat to stab his 19-year-old daughter.

James House, prosecuting, said the day after the threat Robert Taylor and two of his friends, brothers Brian and Craig Moore, went looking for Bradley Taylor armed with two wooden chair legs.

When they arrived at the flat in Walnut Place, Davis was there with a friend Terry Watling, but Bradley Taylor was not present, the court heard.

Robert Taylor, pictured with his daughter.

Robert Taylor, pictured with his daughter.

The court was told Robert Taylor became involved in a scuffle with Watling outside the flat who then returned inside. A minute later Davis emerged through a locked door holding a kitchen knife.

House said what happened next could not be precisely known but an eye witness described Davis being hit three times with a piece of wood and then at some point during the melee she lashed out with the knife.

The single blow caused a 9 centimetres deep wound to the upper part of Robert Taylor’s left leg and severed an artery. Despite efforts by paramedics at the scene to save him he died a short time later.

A pathologist said the stab wound was of moderate force and a medical examination of Davis showed she had minor lumps on her head and a small cut.

Davis, of Woodfield Avenue, Lincoln, remained at the scene but answered no comment during eight police interviews.

Before passing sentence Judge Michael Heath read a victim impact statement from Taylor’s daughter. The judge made it clear he appreciated the devastation felt by Taylor’s family.

Phillip Shears QC, mitigating for Davis, said: “The important part of this case is her plea, her consistent remorse and the circumstances that led to her taking that knife with the fear and concern she must have felt.”

He added: “She was almost certainly immediately attacked and then beaten to the floor.”

Passing sentence Judge Heath said it was “unwise” for Davis to arm herself but he accepted that she only picked up the knife in fear and only intended to scare the men who were outside.

Judge Heath said he accepted Davis was attacked immediately after she left the flat.

“It is a very sad case because what happened on the night in question caused deep and lasting unhappiness for two family’s, and no one will ever get over what happened.

“It illustrates what could happen when a knife is introduced to a scene.”