October 25th 2024.
Learna Cheng was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a man at her flat. However, her family and campaigners are now arguing that she should be treated as a victim of sexual violence. The case is currently being heard at the Court of Appeal.
The incident occurred back in March of 2022, when Cheng, also known as Lea-Rose, and her grandfather met the victim, Dylan Bacon, at a pub. Later that evening, Mr. Bacon was found dead in Cheng's flat, and evidence showed that his semen was found on her clothing and her bra had been damaged.
During the trial, Cheng, who was 25 years old at the time, claimed to have no memory of what happened that night. She stated that the only reason she would have stabbed Mr. Bacon was if he had tried to sexually assault her. She made it clear that she would have never consented to any sexual activity with him and that she was not attracted to him in any way.
Despite her claims, Judge Neil Flewitt KC sentenced Cheng to life in prison, stating that she had tried to tarnish Mr. Bacon's character in order to avoid responsibility for her actions. He also mentioned that he strongly believed that something must have happened in the flat to cause Cheng to lose control, and that alcohol may have played a role in her behavior.
Nicola Mainwood, who works with Justice for Women and The Centre for Women's Justice, has been campaigning for Cheng's case leading up to the appeal. She described Cheng as a young and vulnerable woman who had never been in trouble with the law before. Mainwood also mentioned that Cheng had previously been in an abusive relationship, which may have influenced her actions that night.
On the night of the incident, Cheng and her grandfather were drinking at a pub when Mr. Bacon joined them at their table. They seemed to be getting along well until Cheng suddenly became ill and vomited. Her grandfather then took her back to his nearby flat while Mr. Bacon went to a different pub.
Later on, Cheng was seen leaving her grandfather's flat and heading to her own home. Mr. Bacon followed her, and cameras outside her flat showed them entering together. Two hours later, Mr. Bacon stumbled out of Cheng's flat with multiple stab wounds.
Cheng's father, Rodney Tucker, believes that his daughter was being stalked by Mr. Bacon that day. He also stated that she was having a difficult time adjusting to life in prison. The appeal hearing is ongoing, and Cheng's family and supporters are hoping for a different outcome this time around.
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