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| Man gave wife overdose to have 'peace and quiet' | Man gave wife overdose to have 'peace and quiet' |
| (25 days later) | |
| A man who acted as full-time carer to his wife for the five years of their marriage has been jailed for administering an overdose of prescription drugs to her to give himself a day of respite. | A man who acted as full-time carer to his wife for the five years of their marriage has been jailed for administering an overdose of prescription drugs to her to give himself a day of respite. |
| Stephen Hirst, 53, gave his wife, Catherine Hirst six times her normal dose of morphine so that she would sleep all day and leave him free to rest. | Stephen Hirst, 53, gave his wife, Catherine Hirst six times her normal dose of morphine so that she would sleep all day and leave him free to rest. |
| Mrs Hirst, 42, suffers long-term medical problems resulting from being a double leg amputee and was prescribed morphine by her doctor. | Mrs Hirst, 42, suffers long-term medical problems resulting from being a double leg amputee and was prescribed morphine by her doctor. |
| Exeter crown court heard that on the morning of 30 September last year, she woke up and took what she believed were her usual two 10mg tablets, which her husband left by her bed the night before. | Exeter crown court heard that on the morning of 30 September last year, she woke up and took what she believed were her usual two 10mg tablets, which her husband left by her bed the night before. |
| David Bowen, prosecuting, said: "She discovered afterwards that the defendant has substituted those tablets with two 60mg tablets. She started feeling unwell and spent the day in bed asleep." | David Bowen, prosecuting, said: "She discovered afterwards that the defendant has substituted those tablets with two 60mg tablets. She started feeling unwell and spent the day in bed asleep." |
| The following day she contacted the NHS Direct telephone helpline to ask whether she should take her usual prescription, given the overdose the previous day. NHS staff were so concerned they contacted police and Hirst was arrested. | The following day she contacted the NHS Direct telephone helpline to ask whether she should take her usual prescription, given the overdose the previous day. NHS staff were so concerned they contacted police and Hirst was arrested. |
| During the police interviews, Hirst maintained that he had not intended to harm his wife but said he needed respite from his duties as a carer. | During the police interviews, Hirst maintained that he had not intended to harm his wife but said he needed respite from his duties as a carer. |
| Mrs Hirst did not suffer any permanent effects but has begun divorce proceedings and Hirst has been living with his 87-year-old mother in Leeds. | Mrs Hirst did not suffer any permanent effects but has begun divorce proceedings and Hirst has been living with his 87-year-old mother in Leeds. |
| Hirst, a father-of-two, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawfully administering a drug intending to "injure or aggrieve" his wife. He denied the more serious charge of unlawfully administering a drug intending to "endanger" her life. | Hirst, a father-of-two, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawfully administering a drug intending to "injure or aggrieve" his wife. He denied the more serious charge of unlawfully administering a drug intending to "endanger" her life. |
| Hirst also admitted one charge of making an indecent photograph and three of possession of an indecent photograph of a child. Those charges related to several hundred indecent images found on his wife's laptop when he was arrested. The judge imposed a one-month prison sentence to run concurrently for the charges relating to the indecent images. | Hirst also admitted one charge of making an indecent photograph and three of possession of an indecent photograph of a child. Those charges related to several hundred indecent images found on his wife's laptop when he was arrested. The judge imposed a one-month prison sentence to run concurrently for the charges relating to the indecent images. |
| David Evans, defending, said the defendant was "truly remorseful" for what he had done. | David Evans, defending, said the defendant was "truly remorseful" for what he had done. |
| He said: "Mr Hirst was, for the duration of the marriage to his wife, her carer. He foolishly changed her medication to give himself some respite." | He said: "Mr Hirst was, for the duration of the marriage to his wife, her carer. He foolishly changed her medication to give himself some respite." |
| Jailing him for 13 months, Judge Philip Wassell said it was fortunate that Mrs Hirst had a tolerance to morphine as otherwise the dosage could have been fatal. He told the court: "His intention was to shut her up – to have some peace and quiet." | Jailing him for 13 months, Judge Philip Wassell said it was fortunate that Mrs Hirst had a tolerance to morphine as otherwise the dosage could have been fatal. He told the court: "His intention was to shut her up – to have some peace and quiet." |
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