Leeds woman jailed for brutally murdering grandmother

LEEDS WOMAN JAILED FOR BRUTALLY MURDERING GRANDMOTHER

A woman who murdered her grandmother by battering her over the head with a spade while in bed has been jailed.

Joanne Hussey, 33, was sentenced by a judge at Leeds Crown Court to serve at least 20 years for the killing of 76-year-old Annie Garbutt.

Hussey, from Yeadon, Leeds, was convicted last month during a trial in which she admitted manslaughter, claiming voices in her head compelled her to commit the act.

The court heard Hussey was aware she would gain financially from her grandmother's death.

Mrs Garbutt was murdered in her cottage in Mirfield on May 7, 2007, by being repeatedly hit over the head and chest with a spade, leaving her in pools of blood.

She sustained multiple cuts and fractures during the attack.

During sentencing, Judge Scott Wolstenholme described Hussey's actions as "brutal and callous," noting she had taken care to remove evidence linking her to the killing.

Hussey initially told police she found her grandmother dead but later admitted to killing her, claiming a mental abnormality.

The case revealed Hussey was not in her grandmother’s will but stood to gain indirectly from her mother’s inheritance.

Police described her as "an accomplished liar" and emphasized the crime as motivated by greed.