SHIREBROOK KILLER: MAN DROWNS AND STRANGLES GRANDMOTHER AND AUNT
A courtroom has heard details of how 21-year-old Christopher Whelan committed a brutal double murder at the home of his relatives in Shirebrook.It was revealed that Whelan drowned his aunt Julie Hill, aged 51, in her bath, and strangled his grandmother Rose Hill, who was 75.
Whelan, who hails from Sheffield, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Court reports indicated that he had a history of intrusive violent thoughts, although he had not acted on them prior to the incident.
He had traveled to his aunt’s residence intending to carry out a robbery for money but instead attacked the women.
Whelan used at least two weapons—an axe and a knife—before ultimately strangling his grandmother with his hands.
The judge described their experience as 'an absolutely terrifying ordeal before they were actually killed.' Following the murders, Whelan returned to Sheffield and later contacted police from London, where he confessed.
His guilty plea was accepted on the basis of his mental health, which psychiatrists associated with autism, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, and possibly anxiety.
During his confession, Whelan stated that Satan was speaking to him during the attacks, and he admitted not seeking professional help for his mental health issues, attributing his condition to cannabis use, which he claimed worsened his state.
The court was informed that Whelan had experienced violent thoughts for many years, and that his mental state affected his capacity for self-control.
His sentencing was scheduled to occur at Nottingham Crown Court.
It was also noted that Liam Parker, 22, Whelan’s cousin, discovered his mother’s body in her bath and, traumatized, took his own life two months later.
An inquest into Liam's death was scheduled.
The proceedings emphasized the importance of Whelan’s mental health in understanding the circumstances of the murders.
