Man given life term after stabbing own mum to death

A man with schizophrenia has been given a life sentence, subject to a hospital order, after killing his mother in Leicestershire.

Daniel Cook, 39, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Ellen Cook, 72, on the basis of diminished responsibility.

On Friday, Cook was given the life sentence, with a minimum term of 21 years, at Leicester Crown Court, but is subject to a hybrid order under the Mental Health Act, meaning he will remain in hospital until he is deemed medically fit for prison.

The court heard Cook attacked his mother at his parents' home in Littlethorpe on 11 May and she eventually died on the street outside.

Mrs Cook sustained about 30 stab wounds in the attack, two of which penetrated the ribs, which Judge Timothy Spencer KC said would have required "severe force".

Cook had stayed with his parents on the evening before the attack and his mother sent a text to his sister, Sophie, which aired concerns about his behaviour, the court heard.

The next day, Cook and his mother went to his home in Atkinson Road, Ashby, where they were seen in the back garden sorting boxes.

They returned to the house in Biddle Road, Littlethorpe, where they had dinner, before watching television.

The court heard Cook then went into the kitchen, and was followed by his mother.

Russell Cook, the defendant's father and husband of Mrs Cook, said he recalled his son appearing stressed and unsettled.

He then heard screaming from the other room, and his wife repeatedly shouting "don't".

Forensic evidence showed Mrs Cook had been injured in the kitchen before trying to get through a door to the garage and close it behind her.

The court heard Mr Cook ran into the garage, where he saw his wife on her knees and his son holding a large bloodied knife.

Mrs Cook then made her way outside, screaming for help, and was followed by her son, who continued to stab her, including in the back, while she was on the ground.

During this, the court heard Mr Cook told his son "that's enough, you're going to kill her", with a neighbour hearing Cook respond: "That's exactly what I want. I want her to die."

The police then arrived and subdued Cook with a Taser, and paramedics tried unsuccessfully to revive Mrs Cook.

Judge Spencer said Cook "formed the warped view that his mother had forced medication on him when he was a child" and on occasions would accuse her of being a witch.

The court heard Cook was admitted to Bradgate Unit aged 17 in 2003 for two to three weeks following an episode of psychosis.

He was then under the care of his GP and adult psychiatric services until he was 34, when he stopped attending appointments and taking medication.

Since then, prosecutor John Lloyd-Jones KC said Cook's mental state "gradually declined".

He did not attend a mental health review in March, just two months before the killing, and the court heard he had an "illogical mistrust" of the NHS.

Defending, Mary Prior KC said: "When Daniel starts feeling better and he realises he has killed the most valued and loved person in his life, he will suffer and he will pay a lifelong price for that because no-one was able to help him like she has."

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Cook's sister Melissa said: "My mum's biggest fear was for Danny to do something violent and spend his life in prison."

Sophie described her mother as a "light, warm, loving person", who would "always put other people before herself".

"There's a massive hole where she should be now. Nothing would be able to fill that," she said.

"It feels like the colour's gone from life. I just feel more like I'm existing and just going through the motions. I mean, especially because of the way that she died.

"Life's very hard without her."

Sophie said she had "mixed feelings" about the prison element of Cook's sentence.

When asked if she forgave her brother, Sophie said: "I don't know if I'd use the word forgive. Hopefully, maybe, in time, I would use that word."

She added what happened to her mum was not "an isolated incident".

"I think unless there's change to the way mental health services deal with people suffering from this and similar illnesses, more families are going to be ripped apart," Sophie said.

"I think there needs to be more awareness as well. Like, if we'd known some of the red flags to look out for, I mean, we didn't even know he had schizophrenia.

"It's only now it's too late that we've had so much help and there's so much help, but only after something like this has happened."

Cook is currently residing at Arnold Lodge psychiatric hospital in Leicester, and will continue to reside there, the court heard.

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