A man was cleared of murder after accidentally stabbing his own mum in the heart.
Jamie Dempsey fatally knifed mother Karen in the chest while brawling with another man outside the Brambles pub in Kirkby in summer last year. The 32-year-old was today convicted of manslaughter by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court, but found not guilty of murder.
Dempsey was also found not guilty of wounding with intent, but was found guilty of one count of unlawful wounding and possession of a bladed article. He remained emotionless in the dock as the unanimous verdicts were delivered after 14 hours and 21 minutes of deliberations.
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A trial previously heard that the mum and son had made arrangements to meet for a drink in the pub on the evening of August 22, 2022. Dempsey, of Brechin Road, Kirkby had raised concerns about potentially seeing a man called Brian Flynn at this location "as there had been unpleasantness between them nearby before".
Jurors heard that Mr Flynn "was cross with him because he had run up an unpaid drug debt of some £2,000". Messages the defendant had sent to Ms Dempsey from his girlfriend's phone beforehand described him as a "d***head" who had "dropped him outside the Tavern (another Kirkby pub)" previously, although he said he was not "arsed about it".
CCTV footage from inside the bar showed her sat with friends from around 7.30pm on the night in question. Mr Flynn meanwhile was situated at a table nearby, unbeknown to her.
Dempsey and his partner Sarah Van Maren entered around 10 minutes later and joined her, but "moments later" Ms Dempsey went into the foyer to call a taxi - he having apparently spotted the other man inside. Shortly after 8pm Mr Flynn returned from the toilets and hurled a glass at him, hitting him on the back of the head.
He then "followed up this assault with punches" thrown at him. Ms Dempsey and others managed to restrain him, but he picked up a second glass and again chucked it at Dempsey - who left via the back door.
Mr Flynn meanwhile was escorted out of the front exit, onto Cherryfield Drive. The accused then began walking towards this area, and another confrontation erupted.
The pair began to grapple, with Dempsey now clutching a knife in his right hand. He repeatedly stabbed Mr Flynn before a man, referred to in court only as "Male A", and Ms Dempsey attempted to intervene.
The weapon "made contact" with her chest at this point, leaving her with blood pouring down her dress. The fighting then ceased and Dempsey hugged his mum before leaving the area.
She collapsed moments later, the knife having pierced her heart and liver. Ms Dempsey was rushed to Aintree Hospital, but was pronounced dead at 9.45pm.
A "heavily bloodstained" Mr Flynn was stopped by police nearby and arrested. He too was taken to hospital after suffering significant injuries including a punctured lung, with the most serious stab wound being delivered to his left armpit.
Having fled, Dempsey walked to his aunt's house and told her there had "been a fight and he had stabbed his mother". He took off his clothing and asked his cousin to burn it, although the relative did not do so.
The knifeman then went to an off-licence and bought cans of beer. Later, Dempsey was dropped at Kirkby Police Station by a friend.
While the police station was closed, he phoned Merseyside Police "to tell them where he was and that he was wanted" - not yet knowing that he had killed his mum. During this call, he said he had used a piece of glass and not a knife during the incident and claimed to have acted in self-defence after being attacked by Mr Flynn.
Dempsey will return to the court to be sentenced on Wednesday.
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