‘Severely depressed’ woman, 60, who cared for her dementia-stricken mother ‘smothered the 89-year-old to death before trying to take her own life’, court hears
- Woman allegedly murdered dementia-stricken mother by smothering to death
- Cheryl Banks, 60, of Grays, Essex, admitted killing Winfred Grover, 89, last June
- Ms Grover was living with her daughter along with Banks’ husband and their son
- Banks had smothered mother before attempting to take her own life, court heard
- She confessed killing mother and accepted it was unlawful – but denies murder
- For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch. See www.samaritans.org for details
A ‘severely depressed’ woman who cared for her dementia-stricken mother allegedly murdered her by smothering her to death before trying to take her own life, a court has heard.
Cheryl Banks, 60, admitted killing her mother Winfred Grover at her home in Lenmore Avenue, Grays in June last year.
The 89-year-old had been living with her daughter along with Banks’ husband and their son because she needed caring for after being diagnosed with dementia.
Banks had been her mother’s carer while her husband and son continued to work, but killed Ms Grover after both men left the house on June 21, 2021.
Basildon Crown Court heard on Monday 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.
Prosecuting, Christopher Paxton QC told the jury that Banks had confessed to her mother’s killing and accepted that it was unlawful, but denies murder – claiming she was suffering from an abnormality of mental function caused by a severe depressive episode.
Cheryl Banks, 60, admitted killing her mother Winfred Grover at her home in Lenmore Avenue, Grays (pictured) in June last year
Banks had been her mother’s carer while her husband and son continued to work, but killed Ms Grover after both men left the house on June 21, 2021. Pictured: Officers attend the scene in Essex
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.’
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.
Basildon Crown Court (pictured) heard on Monday that Banks had smothered her mother to death – which would have taken several minutes – before attempting to take her own life
He added: ‘At 5pm on that Monday her husband and son arrived home from work.’
They found Mrs Grover lying on her back on her bed and she was dead.
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 then confessed to an attending police officer that she had killed her mother and was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Mr Paxton told the jury that there was no dispute that Banks had killed her mother, but the main issue they would have to decide was why she did it.
Prosecuting, Christopher Paxton QC told the jury that Banks had confessed to her mother’s killing and accepted that it was unlawful, but denies murder – claiming she was suffering from an abnormality of mental function caused by a severe depressive episode. Pictured: Officers attend the scene in Essex
He said: ‘It’s our understanding that while she accepts smothering her mother the defence will call an expert in psychiatry and say she was suffering with her mental health.
‘It’s suggested this substantially impairs the defendant’s judgement. Let me make plain that while we the prosecution say the role of carer placed a great burden on Mrs Banks, that does not amount to a recognised medical condition.
‘We say it was not as a result of a recognised medical condition, rather that it be simply and sadly with the defendant’s low mood and unhappiness.’
The trial continues.
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