Man who killed mum with hammer called her "Brexit voting halfwit"

 

       

Psychologist Robert Child, 37, admits that he murdered his mum Janice but denies he killed her for financial gain.

According to Liverpool Echo, he is claimed to have had £32,000 of debt at the time of his mum's death.

His mum's body was found locked in the utility room of her home in Woolton, Liverpool, on March 6.

A Newton hearing at Liverpool Crown Court heard the day before his mum's body was found Child transferred £25,000 from her bank account into his.

When police went to inform him about her death he was out buying a £14,000 Jaguar car.

Giving evidence via video-link, Child's friend Philip Walker, who worked with him at the University of Liverpool, said he had the impression Child did not get on with his mum.

He said Child forwarded him a message in February sent by his mum in which she suggested he stockpile food because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The court heard Child then referred to his mum as "the Brexit-voting halfwit."

Mr Walker, who shared an interest in cryptocurrency with Child, said: "He was against Brexit"

Mrs Child was found with 31 wounds, believed to have been caused by a hammer and another weapon, after neighbours contacted police when they were alerted by her dachshund Alfie barking in the early hours of the morning.

The court has heard Child claimed to be a doctor, despite not having completed a PhD, and told friends he worked as an analyst for Manchester United.

PC Nicola Ireland told the court when Child was arrested on suspicion of murdering his mum, he asked "is this a dream?".

He was held at the home he shared with his partner Kelly Williams in Thingwall, Wirral, on March 6.

She said: "He immediately began to shake, displaying signs of being extremely anxious."

She said on their way to the police station, Child said: "I only wanted to show her my new car."

She added: "I took her to mean Janice, he didn't specifically say her name."

He told her his mum had "cut him out of her life" for a period of time because she did not approve of his previous partner due to the "colour of her skin" - but they had since reconciled, the court heard.

In evidence from financial investigator Adrian McGrath, the court heard Child was more than £32,000 in debt at the time of his mum's murder.

He also had two county court judgements against him for £16,000, Mr McGrath said.

He said Child did have a joint savings account with his mum which had more than £14,000 in, enough to cover the cost of the Jaguar.

He would have been able to access it without his mum's signature.

But, the court heard, a passbook was needed to credit or debit the account and only one was issued.

Child admitted manslaughter but had denied murder and was set to go on trial at Liverpool Crown Court last week.

But he changed his plea to guilty, while the last member of a jury was still being sworn in.

His barrister, John Jones, QC, said Child still denies the prosecution assertion that it was a murder for financial gain.

This is being now determined in a Newton Hearing - a form of mini-trial where a judge establishes any disputed facts of a case.

The outcome could potentially make a huge difference to Child's sentence as the usual starting point for murder is life with a minimum of 15 years in prison but it is 30 years if it was committed for financial gain.

On the morning of the tragic discovery, officers searched the Woolton property and found entered a door under the stairs leading to a utility room and found the body of Mrs Child.