Woman who murdered a mother at child’s birthday party jailed for life

A woman who knifed a mother to death after a row at a child’s birthday party has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years, police said.

Hope Rowe, 33, of Piazza Walk, Aldgate, was convicted of murdering Charlotte Lawlor, 31, with a knife at a property in Stepney Green, east London, in the early hours of September 15 last year, the Metropolitan Police said.

Rowe drove away from the scene with her partner, Leigh Holder, who accidentally left a voicemail on her phone, where she could be heard saying it was “good” that she had killed Ms Lawlor, the force added.

Holder, 38, who told her to get rid of the weapon and avoid the police, was jailed for 16 months for perverting the course of justice, Scotland Yard said.

The force said that Rowe claimed in court that her actions were due to a momentary loss of control.

They were both sentenced at Inner London Crown Court on Wednesday.

Detective Sergeant Dean Musgrove said: “Our thoughts are with the friends and family of Ms Lawlor, many of whom personally witnessed the murder.

“We hope that this sentence gives them some closure.

“Rowe and her partner behaved despicably.

“This sentence shows that killers will be pursued even in cases where they attempt to mislead investigators.”