MAN JAILED FOR STRANGLING MOTHER DURING PSYCHOTIC EPISODE
A 26-year-old man named Viktors Arustamovs was convicted at Belfast Crown Court for the unlawful homicide of his mother, Lija Arustamovs.The fatal event took place inside their residence on Main Street, Portavogie, on 12 December 2015.
The presiding judge noted that Arustamovs was dealing with an untreated psychotic disorder at the time of the incident.
Court reports indicated that he strangled his mother while she was in bed, and after a pause, he continued the act upon hearing a voice in his mind that said, "If you start, you have to finish." Evidence showed he contacted emergency services afterward, saying, "I think I killed my mum...
she just stopped breathing." It was recognized that the act was unpremeditated, he showed remorse, and that his psychosis was probably induced by drug use.
The defendant had a history of mental health problems, arrived in Northern Ireland from Latvia in 2011, and had been living in poor conditions in Dublin and Belfast before returning to Portavogie.
He told police, "I took her by the throat and my heart starting beating so so fast I thought it was going to jump out of my chest," and also stated, "I didn’t mean to kill her...
I couldn’t even kill a cockroach." Following the murder, he covered his mother with a blanket, positioned her hands on her chest, and apologized, saying, "forgive me." After the incident, he took four Tempazepam pills, packed a bag, and called the authorities.
The court highlighted that he had long-standing substance abuse issues, serious mental health concerns, and a history of childhood neglect and abuse.
His legal team described his life as chaotic and tragic.
The court sentenced him to serve a minimum of five years in prison.
