ANDREW CANE FROM EXMOUTH SENTENCED FOR MURDER OF MOTHER IN DEVON DRUG-FAZED ATTACK

In a tragic and disturbing case that unfolded in Exmouth, Devon, a man named Andrew Cane, aged 31, was convicted of the murder of his mother, Linda Sheard, following a violent and drug-fueled assault. The incident took place in 2012, and the court proceedings revealed harrowing details about the events leading up to her death.

According to evidence presented at Exeter Crown Court, Cane was heavily intoxicated and under the influence of cocaine when he launched a brutal attack on his mother inside their shared residence on Port Mer Close, Exmouth. The altercation was reportedly sparked by a heated argument concerning Cane’s drug use, which had been a source of ongoing tension between them. The court heard that Cane’s mother, Linda Sheard, was 63 years old at the time of her death.

The court was informed that Cane had admitted to manslaughter but denied the charge of murder. Despite his plea, the jury found him guilty of murder, and he was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years before eligibility for parole. The judge’s decision underscored the severity of the crime and the devastating impact on the victim’s family.

Further details revealed that Cane’s mother had discovered a wrap of cocaine in her son’s bedroom during the days leading up to the attack. This discovery was particularly significant because Cane’s mother had previously lent him a substantial sum of £60,000 to help him pay off debts. She had also warned him that if he continued to use drugs in their home, she would have no choice but to evict him. The tension culminated in the tragic incident that followed.

During police interviews, Cane recounted that his mother had tried to intervene when he attempted to leave the scene, pulling him back and slapping him. He admitted that he had been trying to calm the situation but that things escalated rapidly. Cane described how he could not recall exactly how the canvas belt ended up around his mother’s neck, but he claimed he was trying to de-escalate the confrontation. He stated that he panicked when she started coughing and that he let go of her in a state of shock, expressing remorse and insisting he would never have left her if he had known what would happen.

Additional evidence showed that Cane had taken his mother’s purse and used her cash point card to purchase more cocaine, highlighting his ongoing drug dependency and reckless behavior. His defense team argued that the attack was not premeditated but was a tragic consequence of his substance abuse.

Following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Gregg Dawe of Devon and Cornwall Police expressed satisfaction with the verdict and the sentence. He emphasized that the assault was unprovoked and violent, and that Cane’s actions had left a family grieving the loss of a beloved mother, daughter, auntie, and grandmother. The police officer also highlighted the broader impact, noting that three children were left without a father figure for at least 15 years due to Cane’s actions.