Cancer patient Peter Redfern: Wife and daughter killer jailed

CANCER PATIENT PETER REDFERN: WIFE AND DAUGHTER KILLER JAILED

A 70-year-old cancer patient was handed a life sentence after killing his wife and daughter following an adverse psychiatric reaction to chemotherapy drugs.

Peter Redfern strangled his wife, Jean, and battered his daughter, Sarah, to death with a hammer in their home in Wath-upon-Dearne in July 2013.

During the court hearing, presided over by Mr.

Justice Males, Redfern admitted to the lesser crime of manslaughter for his wife and was convicted of murder in the case of his daughter.

The judge described the killings as 'deliberate and dreadful,' emphasizing Redfern’s diagnosis of terminal bone cancer and noting that his actions were impulsive due to a significantly impaired mental state.

The court sentenced him to a minimum of 17 years, with the judge remarking that he would probably 'die in prison' considering his advanced age and illness.

Redfern was undergoing treatment as part of a clinical trial at the time.

Evidence during the trial indicated that the medication’s side effects had a profound negative impact on his mental functioning, contributing to his impulsive behavior.

The tragic events unfolded after Redfern told a 999 dispatcher, 'I've just killed my wife and daughter,' followed by the discovery of their bodies with plastic bags over their heads, secured with electrical flex.

The judge took into account Redfern’s largely 'blameless' previous life and the influence of his health condition, suggesting that these tragic acts were likely caused by the adverse reactions to his medication.