Cornwall man jailed for life for stabbing his 'kind and generous' grandmother to death
A 27-year-old man has been jailed for life for stabbing his grandmother to death.
Cameron Dancey-Stevenson murdered 62-year-old Alison Stevenson at her home in Helston, Cornwall in May 2021.
He repeatedly stabbed her in the neck during the attack.
Dancey-Stevenson denied the offence, but was found a guilty of murder by a jury on Tuesday 29 August following a three-week trial and has now been jailed for a minimum of 18 years.
Exeter Crown Court heard how police were called to an address in Meneage Road on Tuesday 25 May 2021 after Mrs Stevenson had been discovered seriously injured.
Both the police and ambulance service attended the scene, but Mrs Stevenson was pronounced dead after sustaining multiple knife wounds to her neck.
Following searches of the Helston area, Dancey-Stevenson was arrested and interviewed a few days later.
Watch police bodycam footage of his arrest
Dancey-Stevenson was charged with murder on Thursday 11 November 2021 and was remanded in custody following extensive forensic enquiries.
He denied murdering his grandmother, claiming that he had been present at the house when a stranger broke into the property and killed her.
The court also heard how prior to the attack, Dancey-Stevenson had a documented history of violence resulting in a protection of harassment order being put in place preventing him from contacting his grandmother.
At the time of the murder, he had been convicted of breaching the order and was awaiting sentence.
Watch CCTV footage of Cameron Dancey-Stevenson near his grandmother's home on 24 May 2021
Dancey-Stevenson had originally been deemed unfit to stand trial, but was later considered to be fit and the three-week trial opened on Monday 14 August 2023.
He was found guilty of Mrs Stevenson's murder on Tuesday 29 August after a short jury deliberation.
Paying tribute to Mrs Stevenson, her family said she was a "kind, caring and generous lady" who "always had time for people" and would do "anything for anyone".
They added: “Her passing has left a gaping hole, not only in our hearts, but in the lives of so many people, whom over the years she touched.
“She will be sorely missed and always remembered by all those who loved her.”
Detective Chief Inspector Lee Nattrass said: “The family and friends of Alison have had to endure the most tragic loss imaginable and in the saddest of circumstances.
“It has been a lengthy process to get to this stage and I would like to thank them for their dignified assistance in the investigation and their composure despite the delays.
“My thoughts, and those of the entire investigation team, are with them at this time.”
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