Man guilty of murdering mother in 'brutal attack'

A man has been found guilty of murdering his mother at the home they shared in Peterborough.

Gregory Coulson, 31, stabbed Carmen Coulson, 67, to death at the property in Lingwood Park, Longthorpe, in February last year.

Coulson had denied murder and, during his trial at Huntingdon Law Courts, claimed intruders had broken into the property and killed his mother.

Det Insp Mark Dollard, of Cambridgeshire Police, said: "We may never know exactly why Coulson carried out this brutal attack on his own mother, but there was evidence of repeated and heavy cocaine and alcohol consumption by him over the three months leading up to the murder."

Coulson will be sentenced in court on 17 April, although the venue has yet to be confirmed.

The police were called to the detached house by Coulson at 02:44 GMT on 9 February 2025.

Detectives believe he carried out the attack the previous evening.

A post-mortem examination found Carmen Coulson had a large number of wounds, including a fatal stab wound to the heart.

Cambridgeshire Police said that upon his arrest and while waiting to be booked into custody, Coulson asked officers: "How many years do you get for murder these days?"

He said that on the night in question he had been in his room listening to music, painting, and drinking vodka.

The force said he told officers the attack was "totally out of my character" and added "I've not been happy for a while".

Coulson told them he got a steak knife from the kitchen and stabbed his mother to death at about 22:00.

He added that he then went to bed as he did not know what to do, before getting up to make the call to police.

Det Insp Dollard added: "Carmen's death is a tragedy for the rest of her family, who showed dignity throughout the trial, and my thoughts are with them at this incredibly difficult time."

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