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| Manslaughter: Timothy Crook guilty of killing parents | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| A son who killed his parents in a "brutal" attack before dumping their bodies 150 miles away has been found guilty of their manslaughter. | A son who killed his parents in a "brutal" attack before dumping their bodies 150 miles away has been found guilty of their manslaughter. |
| Timothy Crook, 51, killed father Robert, 90, and mother Elsie, 83, on 14 July 2007 at their Swindon home before driving their bodies to Lincoln. | |
| Crook had a "difficult" relationship with his parents after he lost his job, Bristol Crown Court heard. | Crook had a "difficult" relationship with his parents after he lost his job, Bristol Crown Court heard. |
| He was found guilty of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility. | He was found guilty of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility. |
| Crook, who worked for the Ministry of Defence, had previously been deemed unfit for trial due to mental health issues. | Crook, who worked for the Ministry of Defence, had previously been deemed unfit for trial due to mental health issues. |
| Prosecuting lawyer Andrew Langdon QC said: "They suffered repeated blows to their bodies and heads, some of which were delivered by a weapon, probably a hammer." | |
| The court heard the pair were were also punched, kicked, stamped and strangled. | |
| Dance class missed | |
| They were reported missing by friends four days after the attack when they failed to attend a dance class at their church. | |
| Crook claimed they had driven to Lincoln to sell his home, but his parents' bodies were eventually found under wheeled bins at the property. | |
| Crook, who had schizophrenia, was arrested a few days later and denied murdering his parents. | |
| He was later found to be unfit to stand trial due to mental health problems and was detained at Rampton psychiatric hospital in Nottinghamshire. | |
| The defendant was acquitted of two charges of murder but was convicted by a jury of the alternative counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility | |
| Sentencing will take place on 29 July. | Sentencing will take place on 29 July. |