Daughter jailed for trying to kill mum in hospital

Susan Hardwick sobbed loudly throughout her sentencing at Doncaster Crown Court

A woman who tried to kill her elderly mother on a hospital ward using pillows and a knife has been jailed for three years.

Susan Hardwick, 65, told medical staff at Doncaster Royal Infirmary "I want to kill her," as they tried to drag her off Joan Hardwick, who was 89 at the time.

Hardwick later told staff her mother "had no quality of life", but prosecutors said Joan was being prepared for discharge to a care home, "was not at death's door" and "has remained well since".

Doncaster Crown Court heard Hardwick, who has health problems, admitted attempted murder at a previous hearing. She was jailed at the same court earlier.

Hardwick, of Beech Road, Armthorpe, Doncaster, appeared in the dock using a wheelchair.

The defendant, who has cerebral palsy, a likely underlying learning disability, and is being treated for cancer, sobbed loudly as she was wheeled out of the dock to begin her sentence.

The judge, Mr Justice Goss, said it was a "difficult and troubling case" which was unlike any he had encountered before in his career.

He said that, given Hardwick's mental disability and "rigid thought process", as well as an "absence of any other possible reason for such a dramatic act", he accepted that she "might have thought it was the merciful thing to do at that time".

Susan Hardwick admitted carrying out an "attempted mercy killing" at Doncaster Royal Infirmary

The judge said Hardwick appeared to have misunderstood the situation and thought her mother was being sent back to another hospital, where her treatment had been poor.

He said: "There's no evidence of your mother requesting or implying that she wanted to die.

"On the day of the offence she was expecting to go to a care home and not to the hospital with which you had an issue."

Michelle Colborne KC, prosecuting, said staff on the ward were first alerted by a "commotion" and a cry for help.

She said the healthcare assistant who was first on the scene said the defendant was pushing pillows "forcefully" down on her mother's face.

After Hardwick was dragged away, her mother told hospital staff: "She's tried to kill me," as she apologised to them for what they had been put through.

The prosecutor said the medics then noticed superficial cuts to Joan's neck, chin and wrist, and there was a knife on her breakfast tray which was not hospital equipment.

She said when hospital security arrived, Hardwick held out her wrists and asked them to "take her away".

The prosecutor said she could not agree it was an "act of mercy" and appeared to be more of an "act of frustration".

Nicholas Rhodes KC, defending, said Hardwick has had cerebral palsy from birth and has been dependent on her mother all her life, having never been able to live independently.

She has difficulties communicating and with her mobility, and also has a depressive disorder, he said.

He said mother and daughter had lived a "hermitic" existence since the death of the defendant's father 25 years ago.

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