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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Aaliyah Rugg & Estel Farell-Roig

Victims of 'frenzied' attack forced to sell crime scene home as they keep finding blood

A "chilling and frenzied" attack has forced its victims to sell their "crime scene" home because they keep finding blood.

The couple said they can't bear to live in the house anymore because "despite our best efforts to clean" they still find droplets of blood - which they described as "horrid".

Lauren Wash was jailed for life this week after she stabbed Kelsey Gielinck 18 times in her own home in Liverpool.

When the "frenzied" assault was interrupted by the young mum's boyfriend Wesley Pemberton, he was then also stabbed three times.

Walsh, 22 was convicted of two counts of attempted murder after the attack in Old Swan on April 14 last year, reports the Echo.

Walsh, 22 was convicted of two counts of attempted murder after the attack (Liverpool Echo)

The court was told the couple intend to sell their home, which acts as a constant reminder of "the crime scene" because of their fears Walsh "knows where they live".

Miss Gielinck's victim impact statement said: "Despite our best efforts to clean, we still find droplets of blood which is horrid."

The court was told the couple feel "horrific living in that house" and that staying with family members is not a long term solution.

She added she is "left scarred" by the attack and is "on pins all the time" as she "cannot comprehend" she invited her attacker to her home address.

Walsh was ordered to serve a minimum of 14 years and eight months (Liverpool ECHO)

In a powerful victim personal statement Miss Gielinck said she has suffered physical scars which she will live with for the "remainder of my life".

In the statement read out to the court, she said her scars still "sting" and she is "self-conscious" of the discolouration and raising of them.

She said she was subjected to a "horrific attack" and now chooses to wear "long sleeved tops" to cover the scarring.

The court was told Miss Gielinck, who was present in the public gallery on Friday, feels "horrible" about having such permanent reminders of the attack and also suffered a loss of strength and finds herself unable to open jars.

Police on Southgate Road in Old Swan, Liverpool, where two people were stabbed in April 2021 (Liverpool Echo)

She went on to say the cold weather causes "constant tingling and numbness in her hands" and for the first three months after the attack, she was "totally reliant" on family members.

She told the court she was "solely reliant" on her family to get clean, eat and get out of bed after the attack.

The court was told Miss Gielink now suffers from PTSD and has regular panic attacks which can last up to 30 minutes.

Miss Gielink also "cannot foresee" a return to the classroom for her previously desired career as a teaching assistant.

She said she is "consumed by visions" of Walsh taking her two year old son and harming him.

Miss Gielinck's statement said: "Lauren failed in her attempt to kill me and Wes and I believe she will target my son, either to kill him or injure him.

"He is the most precious thing in the world to me and hurting my son would hurt me more than anything she has already done."

Wesley Pemberton said he too still experiences pain from his wounds but no longer is reliant on pain relief.

The court heard how in work, he wears a glove on his left hand to hide the scarring he is self-conscious of, as well as avoiding people asking questions.

Prosecutors said Walsh attacked "without warning" (Liverpool Echo)

He said there is "ongoing mental anguish and turmoil" and often finds himself "overwhelmed".

Walsh, of Packenham Road, West Derby, previously admitted wounding both victims with intent to cause grievous bodily harm as well as the theft of Miss Gielinck's bank card, which she used to spend £144 at Home Bargains and Tesco on the morning of the attack.

But the 22-year-old was found guilty by a jury, of attempted murder to both victims.

Appearing for sentence at Liverpool Crown Court on January 21, Walsh was handed a life sentence due to her "significant risk" to the public.

On Friday afternoon, prosecutor Trevor Parry Jones said the injuries Miss Gielinck received were "potentially life threatening" as had there been "slightly more force" or at a different angle, her vital organs would have been penetrated.

Mr Pemberton said he is "still consumed by guilt" as to "what I may have found on my return home had I not finished earlier that day".

Or the "what if" he had picked his son up home from work. He adds he "still feels guilty" over "allowing Lauren to stab Kelsey repeatedly and not being able to prevent it."

Through his victim personal statement, Mr Pemberton made a plea to the court for the "longest possible sentence" in a bid to "protect their son".

Jamie Baxter, defending, suggested that Walsh has an emotional personality disorder with some "impulsive" behaviour, but Judge David Aubrey, QC, said the chilling attack was "anything but spontaneous or impulsive".

Mr Baxter said outbursts do now have to be "yelling" but the words used at the time when Walsh accused her best friend of killing her nan - who is still alive - indicate a mental disorder.

However, Judge Aubrey said there was no medical recommendation in the report.

Mr Baxter said the taking of the bank card had the "hallmarks of impulsive actions" and told the court her mitigating features of her age, youth, emotional immaturity and lack of convictions outweigh the aggravating feature.

Judge Aubrey described it as a chilling attack and deemed Walsh a danger to the public.

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