Carer jailed for beating woman, 77, to death

A carer has been jailed for life for the murder of a disabled pensioner who he was supposed to be caring for.

Michael Robinson, 35, killed Carol Hart, 77, of Northam, Devon, in January, after she discovered he had stolen thousands of pounds from her.

Robinson, who will have to serve at least 30 years in jail, was convicted of murder and theft after a trial at Exeter Crown Court.

Sentencing, Mr Justice Garnham described Robinson as "merciless".

The court heard Robinson, of Seaview Road, Northam, launched the savage, drug-fuelled attack on Mrs Hart, who was bedbound, three days after being suspended because of the missing money.

He had been using Mrs Hart's bank card to withdraw cash after she gave it to him in November 2020, the court heard.

He took £5,650 over the next five weeks and only stopped on 8 January when Mrs Hart became suspicious and reported him to the police and the care agency he worked for.

Robinson let himself into Mrs Hart's home in the early hours of 11 January in a bid to get her to withdraw her complaint.

Mr Justice Garnham said: "The reason you killed her was to obstruct the investigation of your theft from her."

In an impact statement read out in court Mrs Hart's daughter Clare Geering said she had been estranged from her mother "but I always hoped we would be reconciled".

"He stole that chance," she said.

"I was in court and listened carefully to the description of how he assaulted my disabled, elderly mother.

"I will never forget that violence that he used on her... I am so angry about what happened."

Det Insp Steph Blundell, from Devon and Cornwall Police, said after the case that it had been a "vicious and cowardly attack" by Robinson.

Mrs Hart had trusted Robinson and "grown very fond of him but he abused his position of trust".

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