Court sees Colchester woman 'launching knife at police'

Ann Marie McEvoy, 40, of Church Walk, Colchester, is charged with two counts of wounding with intent after being arrested in November 2022 at an address near Boston, Lincolnshire. 

The arrest followed an eight-hour stand-off with police, who negotiated with McEvoy before forcing entry to the address, Lincoln Crown Court heard. 

McEvoy has been found to be unfit to stand trial due to mental health difficulties. 

Stand-off – police negotiated with McEvoy for eight hours before they entered the address and tasered her  (Image: SWNS)

A jury will decide whether she committed the acts she is charged with after hearing the evidence. 

The court, led by His Honour Judge Simon Hirst, heard from two officers from Lincolnshire Police, who attended the scene on November 29 in Friskney. 

The officers were sent to the address to carry out a welfare check but were refused access to it by McEvoy, the court heard. 

Officers then tried to persuade her, without success, to open the door. 

After a resident stepped out of the premises and went back inside, an officer tried to gain entry by blocking the door with his foot. 

The court was shown footage from a body-worn camera attached to the police officer trying to gain access to the house, which also showed McEvoy trying to force the door to close again. 

The footage shows McEvoy produce a kitchen knife, which she allegedly launched towards the police officer, who moves away from the door. 

Following the incident, where McEvoy was seen inside the home and armed with a knife, the police officers called for back-up and negotiators. 

The police had called a firearms unit, whose officers later forced their way into the house, the court heard. 

Sgt Graham Clifton was at the scene as one of the negotiators. 

He told the court he attended the address at about 7.25pm and was trying to buy more time as well as establish the situation further. 

Court – a jury will consider the case in McEvoy's absence (Image: SWNS) (Image: SWNS)

Officers told McEvoy they wanted to speak about the earlier incident, but needed her to come outside or open the door for the officers to enter. 

Sgt Clifton told the court that it went quiet for some periods while the officers tried to engage with McEvoy. 

He said, referring to the footage shown: “We would get silence for 20 minutes, sometimes longer and then these ten-second outbursts.” 

Sgt Dan Brigginshaw told the court his unit entered the house at around 1.15am the next day. 

Footage shown to the court showed PS Brigginshaw entering the house and Tasering McEvoy. 

Describing the scene, he said: “I saw her with a knife, a large kitchen knife. She held it over her head.” 

He saw that two children had been injured, saying “there was blood”. 

One of the alleged victims had puncture wounds to the chest, neck and back, the court heard.

The other had hand injuries, and to the neck and arm.

Both needed hospital treatment.  

McEvoy was arrested at the scene.

The trial continues.