Life Behind Bars for Man Who Stabbed Young Woman to Death
Adam Butt, 23, has been handed a life sentence for the manslaughter of 21-year-old Mary Wells. Chelmsford Crown Court ruled Butt must serve at least 12 years before being considered for release.
Fatal Stabbing at Dawn
Police were called to a house on Laing Road at 5:35 a.m. on Sunday, January 17 last year. Inside, officers found Mary unresponsive. Despite paramedics’ desperate attempts, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
A post-mortem revealed Mary died from stab wounds. Adam Butt, then 21, was arrested immediately and charged with murder at Colchester Magistrates’ Court the next day.
Guilty Plea, Manslaughter Charge
Butt denied murder but later pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. The sentencing followed legal guidelines under Section 45A of the Mental Health Act 1983.
Family Tribute: A Bright Future Cut Short
Mary’s family, living in the United States, paid heartfelt tribute after her death. A recent Dallastown High School graduate from Pennsylvania, Mary was described as a “bright” young woman with a promising future. “She was looking to excel in life and will be loved and missed by all,” her family said.
“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.” – Detective Sergeant Michael Ferguson, Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate
