Jamie Dempsey charged with murdering mother Karen Dempsey following fatal stabbing in Kirkby

A man has been charged with murdering his mother, following a stabbing on Merseyside. 

Jamie Dempsey, 32, of Brechin Road, Kirkby, was charged following an incident outside the Brambles pub in Kirkby on Monday, 22 August.

Karen Dempsey, 55, was found in the pub car park with a stab wound to the chest.

She was taken to hospital but later died.

Jamie Dempsey was also charged with possession of a bladed article, wounding with intent and affray.

He has been remanded into custody to appear at Merseyside Domestic Violence remand court on Thursday 25 August.

Family have paid tribute to Ms Dempsey.

In a statement they said: "Karen was a beautiful, vivacious and compassionate woman who always had a smile on her face and lit up a room. Her zest for life was infectious and it left others breathless. She loved being surrounded by her family and friends. "Karen was dedicated to her work and in helping others she made a real difference to people’s lives. She was a fantastic advocate for social justice for more than 30 years and her loss will be felt right across Kirkby. "As a family we are devastated by her untimely death – it was her willingness to help that lead to her being cruelly taken from us. "She will be sorely missed by her family and friends – her death has left a huge void in our lives. "We would like to thank the police for their investigations and the emergency services who fought so hard to save her life."

A 38-year-old man arrested at the scene on suspicion of affray and wounding is being questioned by police.

Detectives are appealing for anyone with information about where knives are being stored or who is carrying knives to contact police or Crimestoppers.