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Husband let wife starve to death | Husband let wife starve to death |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A 71-year-old man has been jailed for allowing his mentally ill wife to starve to death while he went to the pub and visited the bookmakers. | |
William Pottinger's wife Gillian, 61, died on a flea-ridden couch in June 2006 weighing just four-and-a-half stone (28.5kg). | |
Pottinger, of Newtown, in Berkshire, pleaded guilty to manslaughter at a hearing last month. | |
The judge at Reading Crown Court jailed him for 18 months. | |
Judge Christopher Tyrer described it as an "horrific" case, and said: "You allowed your wife to starve to death. | |
"She began to significantly deteriorate from about the year 2000. | "She began to significantly deteriorate from about the year 2000. |
"She last went outside in about 2003, she totally lost the ability to look after herself and she lay on a sofa and wasted away. Her suffering must have lasted months. | "She last went outside in about 2003, she totally lost the ability to look after herself and she lay on a sofa and wasted away. Her suffering must have lasted months. |
Extreme self-neglect | |
"Her death was in squalid and degrading circumstances and the pain and the stress that she suffered for the months before she actually died doesn't bear thinking about." | "Her death was in squalid and degrading circumstances and the pain and the stress that she suffered for the months before she actually died doesn't bear thinking about." |
The court heard Mrs Pottinger had been suffering from a condition known as Senile Squalor Syndrome, a behavioural disorder characterised by extreme self-neglect. | |
The judge said that at any stage during the final months, Pottinger could have called for help and his wife could have been treated and recovered from her illness. | The judge said that at any stage during the final months, Pottinger could have called for help and his wife could have been treated and recovered from her illness. |
Mrs Pottinger suffered from Senile Squalor Syndrome, the court heard | |
He said: "From the outside world you continued your life as if nothing was wrong. | He said: "From the outside world you continued your life as if nothing was wrong. |
"You lived alongside her day by day . . .you must have realised she was utterly incapable of doing anything for herself." | "You lived alongside her day by day . . .you must have realised she was utterly incapable of doing anything for herself." |
The judge added it was "quite extraordinary" that an incident such as this could have happened in 21st Century Britain. | The judge added it was "quite extraordinary" that an incident such as this could have happened in 21st Century Britain. |
After the hearing the couple's grandson, who gave his name only as Bradley-Lee, described Mrs Pottinger as a "lovely gran". | After the hearing the couple's grandson, who gave his name only as Bradley-Lee, described Mrs Pottinger as a "lovely gran". |
In a statement, he said: "She would give you the last pound in her pocket. Why take her away from us? | |
"Rest in peace Nan, all our thoughts are with you." | "Rest in peace Nan, all our thoughts are with you." |
Speaking after the hearing, Det Insp Rebecca Mears of Thames Valley Police welcomed the sentence and said Mrs Pottinger had been a healthy weight before she was allowed to deteriorate. | Speaking after the hearing, Det Insp Rebecca Mears of Thames Valley Police welcomed the sentence and said Mrs Pottinger had been a healthy weight before she was allowed to deteriorate. |
She said: "It is a particularly nasty case, without a doubt this lady suffered significantly. | She said: "It is a particularly nasty case, without a doubt this lady suffered significantly. |
"The situation was horrendous and the death horrific. We are pleased that justice has been done." | "The situation was horrendous and the death horrific. We are pleased that justice has been done." |