Mentally ill Enfield man killed elderly mother, jury finds

Lesma Jackson was found dead in her son's home with 'catastrophic' head injuries

A mentally ill man killed his elderly mother with a steering lock in his north London home, a jury has found.

Former warehouse worker Gareth Jackson, 52, attacked Lesma Jackson, 84, when she visited him in Enfield.

Mrs Jackson's daughter reported her missing on 29 January last year after the defendant said she had left for home, the Old Bailey heard.

Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones KC said that Mrs Jackson suffered "catastrophic injuries to her head".

Police found her body in the defendant's home after they forced entry when he would not let them in, jurors were told.

"The weapon used to kill her was a steering lock, found down the side of Gareth Jackson's bed," Mr Jones said.

The defendant told police "it was an accident" several times, jurors were told.

Trial of issue

Jurors were told Jackson is suffering form a serious mental illness and is not fit to stand trial.

The prosecutor said jurors would not have to determine whether he was guilty or not guilty of murder, only whether he killed his mother.

Following the trial of issue, the jury on Wednesday found that Jackson did commit the act.

The case was adjourned until Thursday.

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