Woman's husband and son guilty of neglect death

Robert Christopher Morgan (left) and stepson David Holyoak were warned they face prison

A woman's husband and son have been found guilty of manslaughter after she died through neglect.

Paramedics found Dorothy Morgan, 71, at home in Whitehaven, Cumbria, weighing just four-and-a-half stone and lying in her own waste.

She was taken to West Cumberland Hospital on 25 January, 2021, where she died 10 days later.

Robert Christopher Morgan, 61, and David Holyoak, 53, of Calder Avenue, were warned they face an "almost inevitable" custodial sentence.

The pair had both denied manslaughter by gross negligence during a trial at Carlisle Crown Court.

A jury found Morgan guilty, and Holyoak was convicted by a majority verdict of 10 to two, after several weeks of often harrowing evidence.

The verdicts followed deliberations of 23 hours and 12 minutes by jurors.

Morgan, closed his eyes as he was found guilty, while Holyoak - Mrs Morgan's son through a previous relationship - bowed his head in the dock.

Judge Goddard KC told the pair it was "almost inevitable" there would be "an immediate custodial sentence", when the men return on 25 March.

Warning: This article contains distressing content

'Refusing medical help'

Carlisle Crown Court heard Mrs Morgan was in an emaciated, malnourished and dehydrated state when she was admitted to hospital.

Her husband had called a Cumbria Health on Call (CHoC) operator claiming she had “literally tried to starve herself to death” over several weeks and looked "like something from a death camp”.

He repeated that latter comment to a 999 handler minutes later and said his wife had been refusing medical help.

When she arrived at hospital she was found to be suffering from acute kidney failure, consistent with extreme dehydration, and sepsis.

She was extremely underweight, and her toes were gangrenous.

Further investigations revealed she was also suffering from cancer, although that was found to play no part in her death.

Her physical condition was such that she could not have withstood any treatment, the court heard.

Mrs Morgan died on 4 February, 2021.

A pathologist concluded that her death was caused by her severely emaciated state and neglected infected pressure ulcers.

A paramedic had noted that some leg sores were so deep that the pensioner’s bones could be seen.

'Watching her die'

Prosecutor Iain Simkin KC told jurors that a geriatrician, who specialises in care for the elderly, had found the level of Mrs Morgan’s dehydration suggested she had not been given adequate fluid for seven to 10 days.

Mr Simkin said Morgan and Holyoak "stood by and allowed - watched, say the prosecution " as Mrs Morgan deteriorated to such a point that even though help was eventually sought her death had become "an inevitability".

Mrs Morgan had been immobile for a significant period of time, the court was told.

Morgan and Holyoak said in evidence they were following Mrs Morgan’s wishes that no medical help be sought.

In a text message to a friend in October, 2020, Holyoak said he thought his mother was “depressed and malnourished”.

“This sounds like you are watching a lady die,” the friend had responded.

When asked by Mr Simkin what provisions there were to ensure Mrs Morgan was cared for, Holyoak replied: “I don’t remember any.”

He conceded: “I should have done more.”

Robert Elias, for Holyoak, had said of the two men: “They are not people who organise themselves very well.”

The case was adjourned for the preparation of pre-sentence reports.

Both were granted bail.