Couple selling 'crime scene' home because they can't bear to live there

Published date22 January 2022
Publication titleLiverpool Echo: Web Edition Articles (England)
Kelsey Gielinck and her boyfriend Wesley Pemberton were savagely attacked by Miss Gielink's "best friend" Lauren Walsh

Today Walsh, 22, was jailed for life over the vicious knife attack which saw her stab Miss Gielink 18 times in her own home in Old Swan.

READ MORE: Woman tried to stab young couple to death for 'no reason'

The court was told the couple intend to sell their home, which acts as a constant reminder of "the crime scene" because of their fears Walsh "knows where they live".

Miss Gielinck's victim impact statement said: "Despite our best efforts to clean, we still find droplets of blood which is horrid."

The court was told the couple feel "horrific living in that house" and that staying with family members is not a long term solution.

She added she is "left scarred" by the attack and is "on pins all the time" as she "cannot comprehend" she invited her attacker to her home address.

In a powerful victim personal statement Miss Gielinck said she has suffered physical scars which she will live with for the "remainder of my life".

In the statement read out to the court, she said her scars still "sting" and she is "self-conscious" of the discolouration and raising of them.

She said she was subjected to a "horrific attack" and now chooses to wear "long sleeved tops" to cover the scarring.

The court was told Miss Gielinck, who was present in the public gallery yesterday, feels "horrible" about having such permanent reminders of the attack and also suffered a loss of strength and finds herself unable to open jars.

She went on to say the cold weather causes "constant tingling and numbness in her hands" and for the first three months after the attack, she was "totally reliant" on family members.

She told the court she was "solely reliant" on her family to get clean, eat and get out of bed after the attack.

The court was told Miss Gielink now suffers from PTSD and has regular panic attacks which can last up to 30 minutes.

Miss Gielink also "cannot foresee" a return to the classroom for her previously desired career as a teaching assistant.

She said she is "consumed by visions" of Walsh taking her two year old son and harming him.

Miss Gielinck's statement said: "Lauren failed in her attempt to kill me and Wes and I believe she will target my son, either to kill him or injure him.

"He is the most precious thing in the world to me and hurting my son would hurt me more than anything she has already done."

Wesley Pemberton said he too still experiences pain...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT