Full Breakdown
Two Women Sentenced to Life for Murder of Friend in Essex
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Murder and Conviction
In March 2024, Helen Bloomfield, 52, was repeatedly stabbed and smothered in her one-bedroom flat on Aetheric Road, Braintree, Essex. The attack occurred at about 01:00 GMT on 20 March 2024. Amy Keely, 40, and Charlotte James, 29, were later identified as the perpetrators after Keely confessed to other drug users. A jury at Chelmsford Crown Court deliberated for 23 hours and 3 minutes before delivering a majority verdict of murder. Both women received life sentences with a minimum term of 19 years before eligibility for release.
Court Findings and Official Responses
Judge Christopher Morgan described Bloomfield as “kind and gentle,” noted she suffered 44 injuries—including stab and cut wounds from a knife and possibly a screwdriver—and condemned the defendants for continuing their daily lives while her body remained undiscovered. He also highlighted the anguish experienced by Bloomfield’s family, who had been trying to contact her for weeks after the murder.
Victim Profile and Impact
A concerned friend discovered her body a month later after using a ladder to enter the flat; blood-stained scissors and broken mirror fragments were also found. In a victim-impact statement, Bloomfield’s niece expressed profound grief, noting the loss of future memories with her aunt.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Helen Bloomfield must have been terrified as she was held down in her own home by two people she knew and stabbed repeatedly.” — Craig Rush
