Murderer 'waited in the shadows' to attack her victim

VULNERABLE NEIGHBOUR WAS KILLED IN 'HEINOUS' STABBING OVER £60

- By ROB KENNEDY Court reporter

A MURDERER who stabbed her vulnerable neighbour to death while demanding he pay back money had "waited in the shadows" like a "predator" to carry out the "heinous" attack, his heartbroken family say.

Much-loved John Hardy, known in his Newcastle community as “Limpy John”, was brutally attacked by Brenda Heslop outside his home in Elswick, Newcastle.

Newcastle Crown Court heard she had loaned him £40 and wanted £60 paid back and went to confront him with a knife.

Having previously warned she would stab him for “getting on her nerves”, CCTV audio captured her confronting the 68-year-old and angrily demanding the money before he is heard to scream and moan and say “Here Brenda, you've stabbed us.” He died from a deep stab wound to his chest and also had two other injuries.

The court heard Heslop, 63, who has paranoid schizophrenia, had genuinely but wrongly believed John was harassing her, when in fact he was completely harmless and did nothing wrong.

A victim impact statement made on behalf of John’s family by his brother-in-law, William Quinnin, was read to the court. Mr Quinnin said: “John has gone and his death has left the family devastated and heartbroken.