NURSE WHO KILLED PARENTS JAILED FOR LIFE
A nurse named Susan Toop used 'extreme violence' to murder her elderly parents, Arthur Toop, aged 82, and Joan Toop, aged 74, in their Bournemouth bungalow in November 2008.She stabbed and battered them with an ornamental flat iron, resulting in their deaths.
Toop later told police she had killed her parents to 'put them out of their misery,' but the prosecution argued they had a good standard of life and her relationship with her 'domineering' mother deteriorated shortly before the murders.
During her trial, it was revealed that Joan Toop suffered 28 knife wounds and had defensive injuries, indicating she fought back.
Arthur Toop died without defending himself, possibly taken by surprise, and was stabbed repeatedly, even after death, as indicated by the presence of his heart pacemaker.
Following the attack, Toop appeared to attempt to take her own life.
She pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility but was found guilty of murder by the jury at Winchester crown court in July.
The judge, Mr.
Justice David Clarke, sentenced her to life imprisonment with a minimum of 18 years to serve, considering her mental illness, her previous good character, and her work at the Royal Bournemouth hospital.
The judge described her actions as done with 'extreme violence' and stated such crimes usually carry a minimum sentence of 30 years, but her mental health issues and background were taken into account.
