By Woman pleads guilty to manslaughter after killing her 80-year-old grandfather in 2018
A woman who killed her 80-year-old grandfather in January 2018 at his bungalow in Waltham has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
Rachel Flemington, 31, who has schizophrenia, attacked James Fish with an axe and knives when she developed “paranoid persecutory delusions” and believed her grandfather was a danger to her, Sheffield Crown Court heard.
Richard Woolfall, prosecuting, said Flemington bought an axe and acquired a number of knives before going to her grandfather’s home on the morning of 29 January 2018.
She then hit Mr Fish on the head with the blunt end of the axe before attacking him with an 8-inch carving knife.
One blow severed his jugular vein and another pierced his lung and aorta, the court heard.
Judge Jeremy Richardson QC said he had to consider whether Flemington should be sent to prison, but he said it was clear that would be a “catastrophe” and the best way to protect the public was an indefinite hospital order.
“You are going to be looked after at the hospital. It may be you will be for the rest of your life,” he told the defendant, who appeared in court via video-link.
“It is unquestionably for the best. It is for the best for you and it is for the best for the public,” he continued.
Flemington replied: “Yes, sir.”
Prosecutor Mr Woolfall said the defendant had been a “much-loved child”.
“Her grandparents did all they could to bring her happiness. They gave her significant amounts of love,” he said.
In 2018, Flemington was found unfit to plead, but a jury found that she had killed her grandfather in a “trial of facts”.
After making progress with the help of medics, she was now able to enter a guilty plea to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
