Attempted murder-accused 'no memory of stabbings'

A woman accused of attempting to murder her husband and a child has told a court she remembers nothing of the day they suffered serious stab wounds.

Carlisle Crown Court heard Mark Bennett woke on 10 June to find his wife Jacqueline Mounsey stabbing him in the neck.

Giving evidence, Ms Mounsey said the previous evening had been a "normal night" although at the time she was "devastated" by her mother's death.

The 53-year-old denies two counts of attempted murder, as well as two counts of causing grievous bodily harm.

She is also accused of stabbing a child twice in the neck on that date in the Morton area of Carlisle.

Andrew Ford, defending, asked Ms Mounsey if she could remember anything about the incident, to which she replied "no".

She was shown a photograph of the child's injury but said she could not recall how it was caused.

She also said she could not remember how injuries she suffered herself were caused.

A pathologist told the court that wounds sustained by the defendant were possibly "tentative or hesitant" which suggested they were "self-inflicted".

The court also heard Ms Mounsey did not remember being at a bail address, but in police video footage was heard saying "I did it".

Mr Ford asked what she thought of the footage and she replied: "I wasn't my normal self".

During cross-examination, prosecutor Iain Simkin KC, said her claim that she could not remember key events was "nonsense".

Mr Simkin asked her whether she had stabbed Mr Bennett and the child and on both occasions she said no.

"How do you know?" asked Mr Simkin.

"I would never do that to them," Ms Mounsey said.

"It wasn't me. I would never do anything like that."

The trial, which is in its second week, continues.

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