Life sentence for man who stabbed mum to death

A man who stabbed his mother to death outside their family home has been handed a life sentence subject to a hospital order.

Gregor Bauld, a schizophrenic, killed Christine Bauld, known as Tina, outside their home in Burbage, Leicester, on 3 March after he had delusions she was the leader of a war tribe.

The now 23-year-old was cleared of murder by a jury after a trial at Leicester Crown Court but admitted manslaughter of his 55-year-old mother on the grounds of diminished responsibility on the first day of the trial.

On Friday, he was given a hybrid order, with a minimum term in custody of 13 years and eight months.

He will receive treatment in hospital, and once it is deemed he no longer needs treatment, he will be moved to prison.

At the trial, the jury was shown CCTV footage of Bauld chasing his mother out of their house with a kitchen knife before he launched a frenzied attack on her after an argument about his drug use.

Mary Prior KC, defending Bauld, said: "This is a man who was very seriously mentally ill.

"He believed - genuinely - that the world was at war with two tribes and the woman he loved most in the world throughout his life had become the leader of one of those tribes and was abusing him.

"His level of schizophrenia was very high and remains very high.

"He still presents a danger to himself, to other prisoners, and to anyone who he comes into connection with, even with that high level of supervision and high level of medical care."

Gordon Aspden KC prosecuting said: "There was abundant evidence of prolonged and persistent use of illegal drugs, which would have a significant impact on his mental health.

"The defendant was aware of the effects those drugs could have on his behaviour having been previously sectioned.

"Nonetheless, he chose to use those drugs running up to the killing of his mother. He made choices in this case."

Mrs Bauld sustained four separate stab wounds on the morning of the attack and a pathologist determined her cause of death as a wound to the back, the court heard.

Sentencing the defendant, Judge Timothy Spencer KC said: "This killing was awful beyond imagination. It was a brutal, shocking taking of life.

"Your mother died in the road outside your house, and her house, with your father next to her, as life expired with you watching on.

"The impact of this killing of your mother is described rightly by the prosecution as incalculable.

"You must have been aware that your drug abuse was a factor in your mental health difficulties but you continued to take drugs."

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