A woman accused of murdering a mum asked ‘Attempted murder, or murder?’ as she handed herself in to police, jurors have heard. Hope Rowe, 33, is on trial at Inner London Crown Court accused of stabbing 31-year-old Charlotte Lawlor to death at a birthday party at a tower block in Stepney Green, while her boyfriend Leigh Holder, 37, is charged with perverting the course of justice.
Ms Rowe, of Piazza Walk in Aldgate, appeared to put her head in her hands as an officer at Bethnal Green Police Station told her she was facing a murder charge, according to a body-worn video played to jurors on Monday (May 12). Ms Rowe, wearing a green puffer jacket could also be heard asking ‘Murder?’ and then ‘Is it attempted murder, or murder?’ in the early hours of September 15 last year.
Body-worn footage also showed the moment Mr Holder, also of Piazza Walk, was arrested while driving his Range Rover in the middle of the night. At one point, Mr Holder appears to tell officers Ms Rowe ‘jumped out a moving car’ near a mosque, then suggests officers should look at her sister’s address. Mr Holder is accused of driving Ms Rowe away from the scene and helping to dispose of a knife.
This week prosecutor Charlotte Newell KC took the jury through CCTV evidence with the help of a police officer, including clips of Ms Rowe entering and leaving a friend’s flat at Emily Duncan Place in Forest Gate, where it is alleged Mr Holder took her after Charlotte’s death. CCTV, doorbell camera, and bus footage then tracked Ms Rowe’s movements from the address to the police station.
Ms Newell also took jurors through texts from Ms Rowe to another person, including a message on TikTok that said ‘I’m so so so sorry’. Jurors heard the recipient replied ‘It’s dine [sic]’, to which Ms Rowe said ”It’s not, this is bad, I’m going to be in trouble’.
In another message Ms Rowe said ‘I promise I will do what I can to sort it’. She also wrote ‘I love you my husband’ to Mr Holder before entering the police station.
Jurors have already heard from a child witness who cannot be named for legal reasons. The trial under Judge Freya Newbery continues. MyLondon covered Charlotte’s funeral, which you can read about here.
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