In a tragic incident that occurred in west Belfast in 2022, a woman has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for the murder of her partner. Julie Ann McIlwaine from Hazel Close, Lagmore, fatally stabbed James Joseph Crossley, 38, while he was asleep at her former residence on Filbert drive in Dunmurry. Despite admitting to killing Mr. Crossley, the 34-year-old denied the charge of murder during the trial.
The court proceedings revealed the turbulent relationship between McIlwaine and Mr. Crossley, marked by domestic abuse and coercive control. Despite her claims of a stress reaction due to the abusive dynamics, jurors at Coleraine Crown Court found her guilty of the murder after nine hours of deliberation in October 2024. The presiding judge, Mr. Justice Kinney, condemned the murder as “brutal and savage,” sentencing McIlwaine to a minimum of 12 years in custody.
At the time of his death, James Crossley was facing legal issues, including an assault case against McIlwaine, and was under a restraining order preventing contact with her. The prosecution argued that McIlwaine’s actions on the night of the stabbing demonstrated a level of control over her decisions. The defense maintained that her actions were a result of a temporary stress-induced reaction.
On the fateful day of the incident, Mr. Crossley and McIlwaine were engaged in a heated argument before he retired to bed beside their infant child. In a harrowing account to the police, McIlwaine described feeling overwhelmed and considered harming herself. She recounted retrieving a knife from the kitchen and fatally stabbing Mr. Crossley while ensuring their baby was safe. Despite efforts to save him, Mr. Crossley succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
Following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Michelle Griffin of the PSNI expressed the challenging nature of the case involving a mutually abusive relationship. The tragic outcome left many family members, including children, devastated. The detective emphasized the importance of seeking help for those experiencing or having experienced domestic abuse, highlighting the need to refrain from taking matters into one’s own hands
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