A WERRIS Creek woman accused of stabbing a 23-year-old woman to death yesterday pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the Supreme Court at Tamworth.
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Sharon Lee McDonald, formerly of Single St, appeared before Acting Justice David Patten on one count of murder.
Dressed in a navy blue blazer, white shirt, pants and wearing glasses on her head, McDonald pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and instead pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
McDonald was arrested and charged in relation to the stabbing death of Tamworth woman Vanessa Renae Kelly during the early hours of Saturday, December 18, 2004 outside the Life and Death Motorcycle Clubhouse in MacIntosh St, Tamworth.
The 44-year-old sat in the dock with her face down and spoke only to enter her plea, glancing at family including her mother, father and partner sitting at the back of the court.
Documents tendered to the court by Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor Nicolas Harrison included a brief of evidence containing 26 items and a
summary of facts. The court was played a video of McDonald's police interview after her arrest which showed her talking to detectives about the incident and events leading up to Ms Kelly's death.
In the tape McDonald, supported by her brother Robert McDonald, tells detective Graham Goodwin Ms Kelly was like a surrogate daughter to her and had helped her out financially by taking her in.
During the interview McDonald told how she had gone to the Life and Death Motorcycle Club at about 9pm on Friday, December 17 with two other people for a drink.
McDonald said while at the club she saw Ms Kelly outside by herself and went to talk with her about the money she still owed when the victim started yelling and screaming and waving a knife at her.
In the tape McDonald said there was a struggle between the pair as she grabbed the knife out of Ms Kelly's right hand and the two became interlocked until the victim spun around and suffered a stab wound to the lower back area.
Still holding the knife, McDonald said she was aware of it in her hand, but pushed Ms Kelly away and at the same time the blade of the knife went into the victim's chest and stomach area.
McDonald said it was at this point someone told her to get in the car and go while a group of men from inside the clubhouse raced to the victim, who still had the knife stuck in her and was bleeding heavily on the ground. McDonald was arrested at 1.25pm on the Saturday at her Werris Creek home. The matter continues today.
