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East London Woman Convicted of Murder in Birthday Party Stabbing

They face sentencing on July 9 after Holder was convicted of perverting the course of justice by helping to dispose of the weapon.

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Overview

  • Hope Rowe, 33, was found guilty on June 13 of stabbing 31-year-old Charlotte Lawlor to death with a birthday cake knife following a dispute over missing keys in Stepney Green.
  • Prosecutors told jurors that Rowe ambushed Lawlor at the block entrance and delivered a forceful chest wound that pierced her ribs and heart.
  • An accidental voicemail left by Rowe’s partner, Leigh Holder, caught Rowe celebrating the killing and led to Holder’s conviction for misleading police and disposing of the knife.
  • Rowe’s defence claimed she suffered a personality disorder and had no memory of the attack, but jurors rejected her loss-of-control plea after viewing CCTV evidence.
  • Both Rowe and Holder will be formally sentenced at Inner London Crown Court on July 9, 2025.