Man with delusional thoughts killed mother, jury concludes

Christine Emmerson died of stab wounds to her neck, the court heard

A man stabbed his mother to death after having delusional thoughts about people trying to kill him, a jury has concluded.

Christine Emmerson, 71, was found dead at her home in Kirk Close, West Ashby, near Horncastle, on 3 August 2023.

Shaun Emmerson, 51, was charged with murder, but was found unfit to plead due to his mental health.

In a trial of the facts held at Lincoln Crown Court, the jury determined he carried out the act of killing his mother.

Mrs Emmerson was pronounced dead at the scene in West Ashby, police said

After hearing evidence over three days, the jury took three-and-a-half hours to reach its unanimous decision on Thursday.

Following the jury's decision, Judge Simon Hirst said: "The only real option is a hospital order which will have the impact of detaining him in a mental hospital until such time he is well enough to be released, if that is ever to happen."

The court heard Mrs Emmerson was stabbed more than 30 times with a pink-handled kitchen knife and died from wounds to her neck.

Christopher Donnellan KC, prosecuting, told the jury she was found "lying in a pool of blood" near the fireplace in the living room.

Jurors also heard Emmerson, who was not in court because he suffers from a mental illness, called 999 and threatened to jump from a conservatory roof.

Emmerson told the call handler that he had stabbed his mother with a knife and had left her in the living room.

When asked what had happened, he told the call handler that "everyone" was "going to kill" him and made reference to the "department of justice", the court heard.

When the call handler asked why, he replied: "Because they've been talking about it for the last 20 years."

Body-worn camera footage was also played in court showing Emmerson standing on a roof, with blood on his hands and on his white top.

A mental health professional, who was involved in assessing Emmerson at the police station, told the jury he had admitted attacking his mother and blood was still on his hands.

When questioned by Clive Stockwell KC, for the defence, the mental health professional said Emmerson "thought he could hear the neighbours through the wall saying they wanted to kill him".

'Incredibly sad case'

Addressing the jury, Judge Hirst said: "What you have heard has been deeply distressing. You have heard about a much-loved grandmother, mother and wife losing her life.

"Members of Mrs Emmerson's family have been in court throughout and it is all the more personal for them but, nonetheless, it has been very difficult for you to have to hear it."

Speaking to Mrs Emmerson's relatives, the judge added: "I thank the family for what you have had to go through the last few days and indeed most of the last year.

"It is an incredibly sad case on so many levels. Thank you for the way you have approached this and the dignity you have displayed."

Emmerson is expected to be given an indefinite hospital order on Tuesday.

"I hope Tuesday is the beginning of trying to move on, to some extent," Judge Hirst told the family.

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