Adam Butt, 23, of Laing Road, was sentenced to life in prison for manslaughter at Chelmsford Crown Court today, Friday 29 July, and ordered to serve a minimum of 12 years.
Police were called to an address in Laing Road around 5.35 a.m. on Sunday, January 17, last year. When we arrived, we discovered an unresponsive woman inside the house. Despite the best efforts of paramedics, the victim was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Mary Wells, 21, died as a result of being stabbed, according to a forensic post-mortem.
Adam Butt, then 21, was arrested at the scene and charged with murder the following day at Colchester Magistrates’ Court.
Butt denied murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at Chelmsford Crown Court on August 17.
Mary’s family, who live in the United States, paid tribute to her after she graduated from Dallastown High School in Pennsylvania, calling her a “bright” woman at the time. “She was looking to excel in life and will be loved and missed by all,” they added.
According to Detective Sergeant Michael Ferguson of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate:
At this time, my thoughts and condolences are with Mary’s family.
“This was a tragic incident that took the life of a young woman who had everything to look forward to and who should have been able to enjoy everything that life had to offer her for many more years.”
Adam Butt was sentenced in accordance with Section 45A of the Mental Health Act of 1983.
