An indefinite hospital order has been granted to a son who confessed to killing his mother with a knife, filmed the incident, and told his father about it over WhatsApp.
Bradley Huggins entered a guilty plea to manslaughter by diminished responsibility for the 53-year-old Hazel Huggins. The pleas were accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service after the 25-year-old denied killing his mother.
Huggins was arrested on the afternoon of June 25, 2024, at an address in Ilbert Street, Stonehouse. He was taken to the Wellesley Hospital mental health facility in Somerset, and he appeared at Plymouth Crown Court today by video connection.
Christopher Quinlan KC, the prosecutor, informed the court that Huggins had a lengthy medical history of mental illnesses, such as Aspergers and schizophrenia. Just three months had passed since he moved into the residence on Ilbert Street, and his mother would regularly visit the house to assist him. A neighbour who had visited Hazel and got to know her claimed in court that it was “obvious she cared very much for her son.”
Huggins had a “long history of abusing alcohol and drugs,” according to Mr. Quinlan KC, and his parents “never knew” what would set off a psychotic episode in their son. Guy Huggins, his father, was reportedly worried that Huggins had abused his father “on more than one occasion” in the past.
Even though his mother had cleaned it the week before, Huggins texted her in late July asking her to give his house a thorough cleaning because he was worried about threadworms.
Guy told police in his witness statement that the couple was “worried” about visiting Huggins’ flat, according to Mr Quinlan KC. After he dropped her off at the property, they shared a kiss and she entered the building carrying cleaning supplies. He would pick her up at approximately 4 p.m. Huggins showed up “looking angry” at the door, according to a neighbour who reported this to the police.
Later, after receiving no reply to calls or texts, Guy drove to the house and called his wife and then his son before knocking at the door. Moments later he received a series of whatsapp messages: “I’m sorry”, ” Call the police”, “I’ve knives for self defence”. Guy asked what had happened to “mum” but the replies left him in shock: “It was made peaceful”, “she thought of you”, “I’m going to to fight the c**** that f***** us up”.
Horrified and fearing the very worst, Guy hammered on the door. It was explained that Huggins had himself called police at 4.11pm talking in a low voice, swearing, and not making himself clear although the court heard police called him back whereupon he told the call handler “I’ve killed my mother, I’ve killed my mum. Dad’s here. Lucifer’s in his room”.
Four minutes later Guy called 999 and Mr Quinlan KC told the court “one can only imagine the absolute terror and helplessness he felt”.
Armed officers forced their way into the flat where they found Mrs Huggins fatally injured from a total of 11 stab wounds. Despite their best efforts and those of paramedics who also attended, she died at the scene.
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