'JEKYLL AND HYDE' SON STABBED HIS MUM TO DEATH AT MIDLAND HOME
A 'Jekyll and Hyde' son who stabbed his mum to death at her Midland home has been locked up for life.Schizophrenic Daniel Cook used two knives to inflict about 30 stab wounds on mum Ellen Cook, 72.
The 39-year-old followed his mother into the street where he stabbed her 'again and again' before leaving her bleeding to death outside her home.
The defendant admitted manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility at Leicester Crown Court.
Cook was handed a sentence of life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 21 years, subject to a hospital order.
It means he will serve his sentence in hospital until he is well enough to be transferred to prison.
The court heard the killing took place in Biddle Road, Littlethorpe, Leicestershire, on the evening of May 11.
Mrs Cook sent a message to her daughter the night before she was stabbed expressing concern her son had 'come to some sort of crisis'.
The court heard Cook had a 'warped view' that his mother had forced him to have medication as a child and accused her of being a witch.
On the evening of the killing, Cook followed his mum into the kitchen before his dad Russell Cook heard her screaming.
Mrs Cook crawled through the garage but her son followed her into the street, where he began to stab her again, including while she was on the ground.
The defendant attacked his mother again on at least two further occasions, returning to where she lay in the street, stabbing her again and again even though she was already clearly gravely injured.
When his dad said "that’s enough, you’re going to kill her", Cook replied: "That’s exactly what I want, I want her to die." Mrs Cook was 'very, very seriously injured and bleeding heavily from a number of wounds', including to her chest and abdomen.
She could not be saved and was pronounced dead.
Cook had what is believed to be his first episode of psychosis at the age of 17.
In 2020, he stopped taking his anti-psychotic medication because he was 'of the view that he was well'.
But Mr Lloyd-Jones said: "In truth, his mental state has gradually declined." Cook did not attend a mental health review in March, just two months before the killing.
He also had an 'illogical mistrust' of the NHS, the court heard.
In 2009, when Cook was 23, he told his mum "it’s your fault" and took steps towards her with a knife.
Mr Lloyd-Jones KC said: "In the opinion of the defendant’s sister Sophie, in the year prior to the killing, the defendant’s belief that his mother was to blame [for his problems] started gradually to build momentum." In a statement read to the court, Cook’s sister Melissa Cook said: "My mum’s biggest fear was for Danny to do something violent and spend his life in prison." Cook’s sister Sophie Jovetic said in a statement that her brother 'was very much a case of Jekyll and Hyde', adding that his dark side would come out because of financial or work stress.
She added: "Do I think he is evil?
No, but he’s a very angry, dangerous man." "Even if he gets well, he could easily slip into paranoia." Ms Jovetic added: "All [Mrs Cook] ever wanted was for him to be happy and healthy, and she had advocated for him through his life despite the stress he caused her." Cook’s dad said in a statement: "Daniel has lost a mother and carer who loved him deeply." Mary Prior KC, defending, said Cook had not been under the influence of alcohol or drugs when he killed his mother.
But his previous relapses had been exacerbated by excessive drinking.
She said: "What Cook did has caused significant suffering and misery to his immediate family, and has, of course, caused a hole that can never be filled.
He will pay a lifelong price for that because no-one was able to help him as much as she was." Ms Prior added: "He will live an isolated and very difficult life.
There are no winners in a situation like this." Cook, formerly of Atkinson Road, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, sat silently throughout his sentencing hearing.
Detective Superintendent Mark Sinski, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit murder investigation team, said: "This was a horrific incident with very tragic and heartbreaking consequences.
A family has been left utterly devastated by the events of that evening.
The family of Mrs Cook have shown immense bravery throughout the investigation and subsequent criminal proceedings and my thoughts continue to remain with them at this most difficult time." The court heard the killing took place in Biddle Road, Littlethorpe, Leicestershire, on the evening of May 11.
Mrs Cook sent a message to her daughter the night before she was stabbed expressing concern her son had 'come to some sort of crisis'.
