ELDERLY PENSIONER WITH PSYCHOSIS KILLS WIFE OVER SUSPECTED AFFAIR
A pensioner named Dudley Boakes, aged 80, was involved in the killing of his wife Sandra Boakes, aged 70, during an episode of paranoid psychosis.The court heard that Mr.
Boakes attacked his wife believing she had gone to meet a man with whom she had confessed to a whirlwind relationship.
Sandra Boakes died two days after the attack at their home in Grasmere Avenue, Sompting.
Dudley Boakes denied murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, which was accepted by the prosecution based on psychiatric reports.
He was subsequently given a hospital order.
The court recounted that the couple seemed 'perfect' on the outside but Mrs.
Boakes had confided to family that she was not as happy as she appeared.
Mrs.
Boakes had met a man in church towards the end of 2013, and they fell 'in love with each other,' leading to guilt and her confession to her husband.
Despite an agreement to cease contact, she sent him a note on April 3, leading Mr.
Boakes to believe she was meeting the man, which triggered his attack with a wine bottle.
Psychiatric assessments concluded that Mr.
Boakes was not a danger to the public as his actions were 'unique to the defendant's situation at the time' and had 'no prospect of repetition.' The court imposed a Section 37 hospital order, and Mr.
Boakes was to stay at St Magnus Hospital in Haslemere for treatment and care.
