56-year-old woman kills friend by pushing her down the stairs over £200 debt

The death of Linda Rainey would have been deemed a "tragic accident" if witness Emma Walker stayed quiet. She told the police that the elderly woman had been pushed down the stairs by Rosalind Gray and the incident was being covered up by their friend Adrian Lawrence. Gray and Rainey had been friends until they started fighting over £200. This led to the older woman being fatally injured on August 5, 2019. Norwich Crown Court sentenced both Gray and Lawrence for their roles in the elderly woman's death.

Between December 24, 2018, and July 31, 2019, the former friends exchanged a number of nasty messages. Gray reportedly owed Rainey £200 after a trip to Morocco got cancelled. She refused to return the money, leading to the conflict. In August, the two women ended up face to face in the home of their mutual friend, Lawrence, in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. The unexpected meeting turned into an unfortunate event when the 56-year-old woman pushed the 60-year-old woman backwards down a flight of stairs.

Rainey suffered a fatal brain injury. She was put on life support and eventually passed away on August 7, 2019, at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge. Her death was initially not deemed suspicious.

Both Lawrence and Gray told the emergency services that the elderly woman accidentally fell down the stairs. They threatened Walker to not tell the police what had actually transpired. Days after Rainey's death, the witness gathered enough courage to tell the police the truth on August 10, 2019. Based on the witness report, the two friends were arrested.

The duo was tried at Norwich Crown Court. The court was told that the woman has seven previous convictions for 25 offences. In 2010, she had received a 10-year prison sentence for charges including arson with intent to endanger life. Lawrence also has a criminal record of nine convictions for 17 offences, the Daily Mail reported.

Gray was cleared for murder but was convicted for manslaughter. She received an extended 13-year sentence following which she will be on license for four years. Lawrence was convicted for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. He was sentenced to three years and two months in prison.