Killer blamed demons for mother's death, court told

A defendant who cut his mother's throat initially told police she begged him to do it and blamed demons for the fatal attack, a court has heard.

Anna Jones, 44, was found dead at her flat in Station Road in Petersfield, Hampshire, at about 20:00 BST on 9 May 2023.

Anarlyn Jones, who was formerly known as Bronwyn Jones but now identifies as male, denies murdering his mother in a fit of alcohol-fuelled rage, Portsmouth Crown Court was told.

However, the 26-year-old, of Jacaranda Road, Bordon, admits a charge of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Sarah Jones KC, prosecuting, said the defendant told police he had previously been abused by his mother and late father.

On the day of the killing, he arrived at the victim's flat at about 16:00, the court was told.

The jury heard he later told detectives: "I climbed on top of her, kept slashing her.

"I was full of rage, anger. I was brought up in an abusive childhood by both [mum and dad].

"I still suffer from what my father did. On occasions, my mum, she used to beat me."

The defendant said his mother had begged to be killed due to health problems, but then changed her mind during the attack.

The victim "evidently put up a vigorous struggle for life", the barrister told the court.

Anna Jones died from "overwhelming blood loss" from her head, neck, trunk and arms, the jury heard.

Neighbours in the flat above later saw the defendant "clambering up the stairs like something out of a horror film", the prosecutor said.

"He was covered head to toe in red... carrying a bottle of brandy," Ms Jones told the jury.

"The defendant was repeating: 'I've killed her, I've killed her,' as he came up the stairs."

He had already phoned 999, telling an operator variously that his mother had begged him to do it or that demons were responsible, the barrister said.

Anarlyn Jones repeated the claims to police at the scene, blaming the fictional monster Rake, she added.

The barrister said: "He may well have had a deeply challenging and difficult life.

"But the explanation for what happened that day is anger towards his mother and a choice to consume a significant amount of alcohol to unleash that rage."

Police found no alcohol in the victim's blood or urine, but the tests were carried out more than 20 hours later, the prosecutor told the jury.

She said the defendant was in the care of a community mental health team and was using anti-psychotic medication at the time of the killing, but was not expected to call psychiatric evidence in his defence.

The trial continues.

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