A mother and her two adult children have been locked up for life after brutally stabbing a distant relative in a deadly, pre-planned attack.
Knife Plot Ends in Murder
Joanne Maxwell, 44, recruited her son Liam Donlin, 25, and daughter Amie Clegg, 22, to carry out the savage assault. The victim, 37-year-old Paul Scott, was a relative of Donlin.
The trio armed themselves with knives and drove to Mr Scott’s home in Maxwell’s car in the early hours of 22 June 2025. Clegg tricked Mr Scott into opening the door, where Donlin then plunged a knife deep into his chest, inflicting fatal wounds. Shockingly, Amie filmed the horrific attack on her phone.
Revenge-Motivated Deadly Assault
Prosecutors revealed that the attack was fuelled by revenge. Maxwell encouraged her children to take part in the violent plan. During the journey, Donlin sent voice messages boasting about his deadly intentions, making it clear he wanted to kill those who had wronged their mother and planned to record the murder.
After the stabbing, Maxwell and Donlin stayed at the scene, while Clegg called the police, giving a false name and claiming ignorance of what had happened. At the crime scene, all three initially pretended to be innocent, but knives collected from the house and vehicle, along with forensic evidence, quickly linked them to the crime.
Harsh Sentences for All Three
At Preston Crown Court on Friday, 20 March, the mother and her children were convicted of murder and possession of bladed weapons. Maxwell got a minimum of 23 years behind bars, Liam Donlin was handed 26 years, and Amie Clegg received 20 years.
Joanna White, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Encouraged by his mother, Liam Donlin stabbed Paul Scott with severe force, while his sister filmed it. Joanne Maxwell wanted revenge and enlisted her children’s help. They acted together with the shared intention to inflict serious harm.”
“It’s deeply disturbing to see a parent pushing her children to commit violence with weapons. We hope this sentence brings justice for the victim’s family.”
The CPS stressed this case is a stark example of how joint enterprise laws target anyone involved in planning or encouraging a violent crime, holding each accountable beyond reasonable doubt.
