Unprovoked Stabbing Leads to Murder Conviction in Maidstone

MAIDSTONE, KENT (3-minute read) – A woman has been found guilty of murder by a Maidstone jury for fatally stabbing a man outside a local pub in a shocking, unprovoked attack.

On the evening of 11 September 2023, Stephanie Langley, 54, engaged in a heated argument with 52-year-old Matthew Bryant at the Hare and Hounds pub on Lower Boxley Road. After leaving the scene momentarily, Langley retrieved a large kitchen knife from her vehicle parked at Maidstone East train station and returned to confront Bryant, who was outside the pub making a 999 emergency call about their earlier altercation.

As Bryant bent down to pick up his phone after Langley knocked it from his hands, she attacked him from behind, stabbing him twice in the back before delivering a lethal thrust to his chest. The attack occurred around 6 PM, and police promptly arrested Langley at the scene.

Charged with murder and possession of a knife in a public place, Langley denied the murder charge but admitted to possessing the knife. Her trial concluded at Maidstone Crown Court, where she was convicted of murder on 1 May 2024. She remains in custody, awaiting sentencing scheduled for 7 May.

Firearm Safety Tip: Always handle firearms with the awareness that they are potentially lethal tools. This case serves as a stark reminder that any weapon, even a kitchen knife, can have devastating consequences when used irresponsibly.