Daughter 'wanted rid of her mother'

Jan 24 2009 By Rob Kennedy, The Journal

A PENSIONER was killed when her daughter struck her on the head with an ornamental horse, a court heard.

Jennifer Shelton is accused of hitting Bertha Martin on the head with the pottery horse in an attack at the home they shared at South Shields.

Prosecutors say the alleged fatal blow was the culmination of a series of attacks and abuse Mrs Martin suffered at the hands of Shelton. Mrs Martin, 85, who was suffering from leukaemia, died a week after the alleged attack, in June last year.

Alastair MacDonald, QC, prosecuting at Newcastle Crown Court said: "It’s the prosecution case that Mrs Martin was killed by the consequence of a blow to the head delivered by her daughter Jennifer Shelton.

"It’s the case of the prosecution that this was not the only incident in which hands were laid on Mrs Martin by this defendant. She had abused her mother in the past on other occasions and there was considerable tension between mother and daughter.

"The court heard witnesses claimed Shelton had already attacked her mother earlier in the day of the alleged fatal blow which was delivered, on June 17.

Mrs Martin told a carer Shelton had ‘gone for her’, leaving her with scratches on her face.

"Later another visitor to the house found Mrs Martin sitting on a blanket box outside her bedroom with a large bruise on her head."

Prosecutors say while Mrs Martin was in hospital, Shelton made a comment to nurses which indicated her guilt.

Mr MacDonald said: "On June 21 while talking to a nurse at the hospital the defendant said ‘my mother is dying, my mother will never forgive me. God will never forgive me’.

"The prosecution say she was in fact admitting it was she who killed her mother."

Integration of a computer found at the house also uncovered a file which suggested, prosecutors claim, Shelton wanted rid of her mother.

It is claimed she had written "Dear God I love my Mam but sometimes she is just overpowering. I hate her at times I wish she would leave the earth and leave me alone".

Shelton, 56, denies murdering her mother.

The trial continues.