Scarlett Vickers’ fatal wound ‘impossible’ from thrown knife

She said kitchen knives were not designed to be thrown and the blade would have had to strike at a 90-degree angle to pass through Scarlett’s pyjama top and into her chest, otherwise it would have rebounded off.

Instead Dr Bolton concluded the knife was being held “tightly” with a firm grip when it injured Scarlett.

Dr Bolton said the knife passed between two ribs and pierced through a lung into her heart causing major blood loss and would have required only mild force to penetrate so deep.

She said Scarlett would have fallen unconscious and died within minutes of the blow.

Under cross-examination by Mr Vicker’s barrister Nicholas Lumley KC, Dr Bolton said Scarlett could have survived had the knife gone a millimetre or two either side of where it ended up.

Mr Lumley previously told jurors Mr Vickers bore “moral responsibility” for her death but he had not acted unlawfully.

As well as claiming he had thrown a knife, Mr Vickers told paramedics and police at the scene Scarlett had “lunged” towards him and the blade “just went in”.