A pregnant woman has described the harrowing moment her boyfriend was fatally stabbed in the heart by her teenage cousin in a furious knife attack.
Fiery Row Ends in Tragedy
Shannon Byrne told police in a video interview just two days after the killing how Paige Poulton, 20, plunged a knife “really hard” into Jack Cadwallader’s chest during a savage row at a flat in Harrietsham on July 2 last year.
Byrne, who had recently found out she was pregnant with Jack’s child, said her cousin had been “raging and angry,” waving the knife around before delivering the fatal blow.
Jack, 25, who had a one-night stand with Poulton before starting a relationship with Byrne in 2021, collapsed instantly and died despite frantic efforts from friends and medical staff to save him.
Poulton, from Haringey, north London, is on trial at Maidstone Crown Court accused of manslaughter. She was previously cleared of murder earlier this year. The defence claims self-defence or defence of another, but prosecutors say there was no “lawful justification.”
Violent Clash on Fateful Night
Prosecutor Sarah Jones KC revealed the deadly row followed a “quarrelsome” day between Jack and Shannon. Poulton was said to be “irritated, annoyed and wound up,” even telling her mum she might “end up stabbing” Jack.
Byrne described Jack’s surprise arrival at the flat, saying her cousin “went crazy” when he showed up unannounced. She denied claims Jack charged Poulton with a metal patio chair, insisting he had picked it up only to defend himself.
“I see her go like this, really hard, into his heart. It was like, intentional, with force,” Byrne told police. “I just remember his face after. He didn’t look at me, he looked at Paige, and then he just dropped on the grass and started bleeding badly.”
Violent Past Casts Shadow
Under cross-examination, Byrne admitted Jack had a violent history stretching over years, using fists, knives, and even bottles. His record included assault convictions and a deadly punch in 2022 that killed a man, though he was never charged. At his death, Jack had two pending court cases involving assault and threats.
But Byrne insisted Jack was calm on the night of the stabbing and that Poulton attacked “for no good reason.” She denied that Jack was aggressive or trying to strike with the chair, saying it was a defensive move.
“She took the love of my life away from me and also the father of my child,” Byrne told the court.
Witness Backs Account of Fatal Stabbing
Matthew Smith, a friend who drove Jack to the flat, also gave evidence. He recalled Jack joking and laughing momentos before the attack. Smith saw Poulton punch Jack, then grab a 10-inch kitchen knife. He described Jack holding a chair defensively and said Poulton “lunged forward” with the knife, stabbing Jack in the chest.
“I got to the hospital and just called for help. I said ‘I need a stretcher. My mate’s been stabbed.'”
Poisoned Paradise
Autopsy and tests revealed Jack’s blood alcohol was twice the legal drink-drive limit, with traces of cocaine, plus anti-psychotic and antidepressants. Poulton had alcohol, THC (cannabis), and drugs for anxiety and insomnia in her system.
The trial is ongoing at Maidstone Crown Court as the jury weighs the explosive evidence in the deadly family feud that ended in tragedy.
