A carer killed the woman she was caring for days after being caught on camera stealing from her. Jayne Hill hit Myra Thompson over the head with a metal flask before then smothering her to death with a pillow.
The 52-year-old attacker waited outside the home of her elderly victim on the evening of April 22 until the bedroom lights were turned off. She then went inside with the intention of “removing her” as a witness to the theft.
Liverpool Crown Court was told how a month earlier, a covert camera was set up in Mrs Thompson’s home in Spital, Wirral, after she told neighbours she suspected one of her carers was taking cash from her purse. On April 12 Hill was spotted stealing money from Mrs Thompson.
She denied the offence however she was subsequently suspended by her employers after she “flatly” denied the offence. On Friday Hill was jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 and a half years.
The Honorary Recorder of Liverpool, Andrew Menary KC, told the former agency worker: “You brutally killed Mrs Thompson while she was alone and utterly defenceless. The reason why you committed this dreadful crime really defies belief.”
He continued: “You waited until you were sure Mrs Thompson was in bed and the lights were off and then perhaps hoped she would be asleep. The suddenness, ferocity and persistence of the violence you used demonstrates I am sure that you went there that night intending to kill your victim.
“You hit her several times over the head with a metal flask and then placed a pillow with considerable force over her head and neck. You wanted to try to conceal the fact that a crime had been committed by removing the person who you believed was the only possible witness.
“This was a cruel and callous offence involving significant planning and pre-meditation which involved a gross breach of trust. This was not a sudden explosion of anger. It was a considered act of selfish motivation and an attempt at self preservation.”
The judge said injuries inflicted on the pensioner showed she “fought as hard as she possibly could”. He added that he had no doubt that Hill had stolen from the former hospital worker on more than one occasion.
Grandmother Hill, of Upton, Wirral, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to murder and theft of cash. She also admitted stealing jewellery from other elderly people she cared for including a gold necklace belonging to a 97-year-old woman.
Speaking after the sentencing Detective Inspector Dave Jones said: “This was the ultimate breach of trust from someone Myra trusted and it is truly shocking and despicable that Hill chose to carry out an attack on a frail and elderly woman who should have been safe in bed in her own home. This has obviously been a distressing time for Myra’s family and friends and our thoughts and condolences are with them.
“Hill admitted being responsible for Myra’s death and today has rightly been sentenced for her monstrous actions. She has shown no remorse over the death of Myra but will now spend a considerable period of time behind bars to think about her actions on that night.
“No length of sentence will ever be able to bring Myra back but hopefully knowing justice has been served will come as some kind of comfort for all those who loved her.” Myra’s niece Anne Charters said: “As a family we are greatly relieved that the murder investigation into Myra’s death has finally come to an end, resulting in a fitting sentence for the accused, Jayne Hill.
“To abuse a position of trust on someone as frail and vulnerable as my aunty Myra and to then confront her with such violence is something that has been incredibly upsetting and difficult to come to terms with. We can only imagine the terror she experienced during her final moments on the evening of 23 April in her own home, a place where she was supposed to be safe.
“We are hoping that now justice has been served we can all move on and hope it will go some way towards helping everyone directly affected by this shocking case, to find some form of closure from what has ultimately been a living nightmare.”