In a story coming out of the UK, a man stabbed his mother to death over a cup of tea because it was “not milky enough” according to a report:
The case of a man who killed his mum in a row over a cup of tea is due in court again today (Tuesday).
Thomas Westwood, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, was charged with the murder of his mother, Susan, after her body was found at a home in Cavendish Road, Tile Hill, in December 2017.
A post-mortem examination revealed she suffered 17 stab wounds.
On the day Westwood was due to stand trial earlier this year, he instead entered a guilty plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
The 46-year-old was due to be sentenced at Warwick Crown Court on three previous dates, but sentencing was delayed on all occasions as reports are prepared for the court’s consideration.
At the most recent hearing, Judge Andrew Lockhart QC said: “I am going to extend the Section 38 Mental Health Act order, in order that further work can be carried out.
“Essential work needs to be done to assess the future risk this man poses and the level of culpability.”
he case is now due up before Warwick Crown Court for a fourth time since his conviction to find out what stage the proceedings are now at.
What happened
Westwood was arrested at the scene in Cavendish Road on December 1, 2017, and claimed an argument had erupted after he made a cup of tea for his mother which was “not milky enough”.He claimed his mother had been bullying him every day and was to blame for initiating the knife attack and described her attacking him with the knife first.
At a previous hearing at Coventry Crown Court, prosecutor Peter Grieves-Smith said at the time of the killing the defendant was suffering with paranoid schizophrenia, and he had certain beliefs about his mother.
It was then their relationship detoriated.
Mr Grieves-Smith said: “At the time of the offence he was suffering with paranoid schizophrenia.
“The defendant had described in both interviews and to psychiatrists in a period leading up to the offence.
“One of the things he had said was people were breaking into the flat and moving things.
“The conclusion of one expert that the descriptions of the behavior is consistent with psychotic experiences including delusions.”
Michael Duck QC, defending, said Westwood’s medical problems have been well documented.
He said there are “thousands of pages of medical records of the evolution of mental health problems”.
A tribute from Susan’s heartbroken family read: “We as a family have been left devastated and heartbroken at the loss of Susan.
“She was a loving mum, nan, sister, auntie and friend who will be missed so much.
“She was a kind, funny, generous warm loving person. She did not deserve to lose her life in the most cruelest of ways.
“To lose someone in your life is bad enough, but for Susan to be killed by someone she loved and supported endlessly is the cruelest blow. Someone she trusted and loved. This is beyond our comprehension.
“No family imagines ever having to go through such a traumatic event in their lives. We now have to face reality and realise Susan is never coming back to us. A big hole is left in our hearts that will never be filled.