Life imprisonment for Mildred Whitmore killer

Mildred Whitmore's relatives said she enjoyed her garden and was their "queen"

A man who killed an 84-year-old woman at her home has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Mildred Whitmore, described as "the queen of our family" by relatives, was found strangled at her College Street home in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Chase Kelly, 32, was given a minimum sentence of nine years and nine months at Warwick Crown Court.

Kelly, of no fixed abode, denied murder but admitted manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

Ms Whitmore was killed on 1 June 2021.

In a statement released after sentencing, her family said Kelly had taken their mother's life "in such a brutal way" and described her loss as "unbearable".

"Despite this, Chase Kelly can never take away the memories of our caring mother and great grandmother. These memories will keep us strong through the dark times ahead," they said.

"Knowing that our mother was brutally attacked in her own home leaves us devastated as a family. A place which was always her safe haven, turned into a place of terror in her final moments."

Chase Kelly was sentenced at Warwick Crown Court

Despite her age, her family said she kept herself fit and healthy and was very independent.

Det Insp Collette O'Keefe, from Warwickshire Police, described her death as "senseless".

The force said officers had found Ms Whitmore dead inside her home on the morning of 1 June 2021.

A few hours later police said they received a report of a man hiding in the bushes of a nearby school.

Kelly was found there with injuries to his arms and legs. He was subsequently arrested and charged with killing Ms Whitmore two days later.

He was also given a 17-month sentence for assault occasioning actual bodily harm for a separate offence, to run concurrently.

The court heard Kelly had breached two suspended sentence orders (SSOs) and he was handed 12-month and four-month concurrent sentences, which were both suspended.