Killer who blamed demons guilty of murdering mother

Anna Jones was found dead at her flat in Petersfield in May 2023

A defendant who cut his mother's throat and blamed demons for the attack has been found guilty of murder.

Anna Jones, 44, was found dead at her flat in Station Road in Petersfield, Hampshire, at about 20:00 BST on 9 May 2023.

Anarlyn Jones, who was formerly known as Bronwyn Jones but now identifies as male, had denied murder but admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The 26-year-old, of Jacaranda Road, Bordon, will be sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court on 31 January.

The defendant, who had a history of mental illness, previously attempted to strangle his mother in October 2022, the court heard.

Charges were dropped after the attack was deemed to be a "psychotic episode", prosecutor Sarah Jones KC said.

On the day of the killing, neighbours in the flat above saw the defendant "clambering up the stairs like something out of a horror film", the barrister said.

"He was covered head to toe in red... carrying a bottle of brandy," Ms Jones told the jury.

"The defendant was repeating: 'I've killed her, I've killed her.'"

He had already phoned 999, telling an operator variously that his mother had begged him to do it or that demons were responsible, the barrister said.

However, she said the killing was prompted by a "surge of anger", fuelled by drinking port, brandy and beer.

The court heard the defendant told detectives: "I climbed on top of her, kept slashing her.

"I was full of rage, anger. I was brought up in an abusive childhood by both [mum and dad].

"I still suffer from what my father did. On occasions, my mum, she used to beat me."

The victim "put up a vigorous struggle for life" but died from "overwhelming blood loss" from her head, neck, trunk and arms, the jury heard.

The defendant did not give evidence and his legal team called no witnesses during the trial.