March murder: Man jailed of killing mother he cared for

A jury found John Cole guilty of stabbing his mother to death

A man who cared for his mother full-time was "completely and utterly at the end of his tether" when he stabbed her to death, a judge has said.

John Cole, 36, killed his mother Wendy, 70, at their home in March in Cambridgeshire on 10 May.

Judge Sean Enright told Peterborough Crown Court "society has a safety net" but that the pair "fell through".

Cole, of Oak Tree Close, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 11 years after he was found guilty of murder.

The six-day trial heard the pair had lived in a bungalow for six years, and in the months before her death there had been a steady decline in Ms Cole's health.

Wendy Cole was described as "skin and bones" by her daughter, days before her death

Prosecutors said that on 8 May, Mr Cole's sister visited and when she arrived Cole broke down in tears and said "he couldn't cope".

Police said the day before, Cambridgeshire social services asked if he could manage one more week while they put a care package in place.

In the early hours of 10 May, Cole rang 999 saying "I've done something stupid" and that he had stabbed his mother several times.

Later analysis found Mr Cole's searches five days before the killing included "in England, if you cut someone's neck how long will you go to prison for?" and "mum murdered by son with knife".

Police at the scene in Oak Tree Close in the Fenland town of March

At a sentencing hearing on Wednesday, Miranda Moore QC, mitigating, said it was a case of "two vulnerable people who were struggling to cope" and that "everybody said he loved and cared for" his mother.

She read from a statement from Mr Cole's sister, which said "she does not hold this against her brother" and "she wishes help had been provided before it came to this".

Police said Cole rarely ventured out and had little by way of a social life, and Judge Enright said that "when the pandemic came you became even more isolated".

He told the court at the time of the killing Cole was "completely and utterly at the end of [his] tether".

The judge added that "society does have a safety net... you both fell through that net".

Following the sentencing, Cambridgeshire County Council said in a statement: "Our heartfelt sympathies are with the loved ones of Wendy Cole.

"We were contacted by Mr Cole on the 4 May who explained he had arranged for a private care package for his mother.

"Our carers' team responded the next day and a date was set to complete a carers' assessment for him, five days later. Sadly on 10 May we were made aware of the tragic event that had occurred.

"We have made an initial review and our understanding is that we have no knowledge that he was asked to wait a week.

"Nevertheless, we take the family and the judge's words very seriously and will fully contribute in an open manner to the domestic homicide review about this tragic death, which can recommence now that criminal proceedings have concluded.

"There are likely to be lessons to be learnt and we are fully committed to working with partners to act on any recommendations of that review."

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