A 60-year-old woman who admitted smothering her dementia-stricken mother to death after she struggled to look after the 89-year-old who was ‘in need of constant care’ is acquitted of murder.
Winifred Grover, 89, was cared for by her daughter Cheryl Banks, 60, at the home they shared together in Essex before Banks told her family that she had killed Winifred by smothering her.
Mrs Grover, who was found unresponsive on June 21, had dementia and Alzheimer’s while Banks was her sole carer for the past three years.
Banks admitted manslaughter via diminished responsibility and was acquitted of murder at Basildon Crown Court.
Winifred Grover, 89, was cared for by her daughter Cheryl Banks, 60, at the home they shared together in Essex before Banks smothered her to death. Pictured: Police at the home in Lenmore Avenue, Grays,
Banks admitted manslaughter via diminished responsibility and was acquitted of murder at Basildon Crown Court.
Mrs Grover was found unresponsive on June 21 last year at the home in Lenmore Avenue, Grays after Banks disclosed to members of her family that she had killed Winifred by smothering her
Banks had been her mother’s carer while her husband and son continued to work.
She killed Mrs Grover after both men left the house in Lenmore Avenue, Grays on June 21, 2021.
Basildon Crown Court heard that Banks had smothered her mother to death – which would have taken several minutes – before attempting to take her own life.
However, Banks survived and was treated in hospital before being sent to police custody and charged with murder.
She stood trial at Basildon Crown Court where, on Tuesday she was acquitted of murder, but had already admitted manslaughter via diminished responsibility.
Prosecuting, Christopher Paxton QC told the jury that Banks had confessed to her mother’s killing and accepted that it was unlawful
Prosecuting, Christopher Paxton QC told the jury that Banks admitted her mother’s death was unlawful and claimed she was suffering from an abnormality of mental function caused by a severe depressive episode.
He said: ‘The defendant gave her mother patient and loving care, effectively 24/7, and no doubt that placed a great burden upon the defendant Mrs Banks.
‘On the 16th-17th June she spoke on the phone to her friend and spoke about her mother but gave no indication of any difficulty and certainly said or did nothing at all to raise any concerns.
‘Her husband and son left for work that morning like any other day. Again Mrs Banks had raised no concerns then about her state of mind, she didn’t tell them in any way and they didn’t have any fears.
‘That’s not to say the situation was not difficult for them all but no concerns were raised on that Monday morning.’
Detective inspector Kevin Hughes, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: ‘This is a truly tragic case and one that has really saddened me and my team’
Mr Paxton said Banks had told psychiatric experts whilst in custody that she had killed her mother after 8am, and that she knew she had to do that because her husband had left for work.
In a prepared statement to officers at the time, Banks stated that she had experienced mental health problems for some time and that she loved her mother very much.
Mr Paxton continued: ‘Mrs Banks was in the sitting room next to the bedroom. She was lying on the sofa and told her son she had not taken enough tablets to kill herself.
‘She then confessed to killing her mother saying she smothered his grandmother.’
Banks’ husband called paramedics and police but sadly Mrs Grover could not be saved
Banks’ husband called paramedics and police but sadly Mrs Grover could not be saved.
Banks then confessed to an attending police officer that she had killed her mother and was arrested on suspicion of murder.
The defence argued in the trial that Banks at the time had been suffering from depression which included psychotic symptoms.
Detective inspector Kevin Hughes, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: ‘This is a truly tragic case and one that has really saddened me and my team.
‘Winifred Grover was an elderly woman in need of constant care.
‘I want to extend my condolences, and those of my team, to her family.’
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