The Accused: Beyond Reasonable Doubt tonight tells the heartbreaking story of Stacey Hyde, a teenager who was jailed for murder after trying to protect her friend from a violent attack.
The Channel 4 documentary revisits the case that saw Stacey locked up at just 18 years old, despite insisting she acted in self defence.
Viewers will hear the chilling 999 call made on the night of the incident, including Stacey’s desperate screams as violence erupted inside a Somerset home.
Although Stacey’s conviction was eventually overturned, the impact of her ordeal never left her.
In one of the programme’s most devastating twists, viewers will learn that Stacey later died aged just 32.
Here’s the tragic true story behind tonight’s episode.
The Accused: Beyond Reasonable Doubt’s Stacey Hyde
Stacey’s case features in the second episode of the new series.
The documentary explores how the teenager, from Wells in Somerset, became caught up in a chain of events that would change her life forever.
Stacey had become friends with local hairdresser Holly Banwell and regularly spent time socialising with her. Holly’s boyfriend, Vincent Francis, had a history of violence towards her.
In 2009, after returning to Holly’s home following a night out, Vincent allegedly launched another attack.
Stacey, who was 17 at the time, stepped in to defend her friend. Vincent then turned his attention towards Stacey, punching her and pulling her hair.
As the violence escalated, Holly made a frantic 999 call.
“My boyfriend is smashing, beating up my friend!” she told the operator.
Moments later, she can be heard shouting: “No, Stacey put that down!”
Stacey stabbed Vincent 17 times during the confrontation.
She was later charged with murder. Despite arguing she had acted in self defence, a jury convicted her and she was jailed for life with a minimum term of nine years.
For the vulnerable teenager, prison would become a terrifying reality.
When was Stacey Hyde freed from jail?
Stacey’s aunt, Julie Hyde, refused to give up on her niece and spent years fighting to clear her name.
She sought help from campaign group Justice For Women, whose legal team worked to challenge the conviction.
Human rights lawyer Harriet Wistrich commissioned a psychiatric assessment which found Stacey’s responsibility had been diminished due to previously undiagnosed ADHD.
The evidence led to a retrial.
In June 2015, a second jury found Stacey not guilty of murder and she walked free.
The documentary shows emotional footage of 23 year old Stacey leaving Winchester Crown Court with balloons tied to her wrists.
“It’s a dream. People believed in me. I’ve got my family back!” she says.
For a moment, it seemed Stacey had been given a second chance.
Sadly, life outside prison proved far harder than anyone realised.
How did Stacey Hyde die?
Following her release, Stacey initially dedicated herself to helping other women.
She worked alongside Justice For Women and spoke publicly about her experiences.
But behind the scenes, she continued to struggle.
Stacey later became a victim of abuse herself. After moving to Cornwall and changing her name to Anastasia Darlison, she hoped for a fresh start.
Instead, her life began to unravel.
The documentary reveals Stacey developed serious problems with alcohol and drugs, including cocaine and heroin use. She also turned to prostitution.
Alongside these struggles, she battled bulimia for many years.
Tragically, Stacey died on April 11, 2024, aged 32.
An inquest heard she had been admitted to hospital 11 times during the year before her death and had suffered two heart attacks.
On the day she died, Stacey visited her GP after experiencing severe vomiting for 48 hours.
Tests showed dangerously abnormal electrolyte levels and she was later found unresponsive after arriving at A&E.
Despite medics spending 30 minutes attempting to revive her, Stacey could not be saved.
The inquest concluded that she died from bulimia nervosa.
Senior coroner Andrew Cox said: “She didn’t cope well after being released and fell in with the wrong crowd and took drugs and alcohol as a way to cope with what happened in her early life.
“Alcohol or drugs were not responsible for her death neither was suicide. In fact she had been looking forward to going abroad to go and visit her aunt in Greece. As such this a death from natural causes.”
Tonight’s documentary paints a deeply moving picture of a young woman whose conviction was overturned, but whose life was forever shaped by the trauma she endured.
When is The Accused: Beyond Reasonable Doubt on?
Stacey Hyde’s story is featured in The Accused: Beyond Reasonable Doubt on Thursday June 25, 2026.
The episode airs at 10pm on Channel 4 and runs until 11.05pm.
It will also be available to stream on Channel 4, alongside the first episode in the series, which examined the case of Jason Moore.
Jason remains in prison serving a life sentence for a murder he maintains he did not commit.
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