Hospital order for son who killed mum

A SON who admitted he stabbed his mother to death and filmed it, before confessing to his father on WhatsApp, has been given an indefinite hospital order.

- CARL EVE

After the death of 53-year-old Hazel Huggins, Bradley Huggins pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility. The 25-year-old denied murdering his mother, and the Crown Prosecution Service accepted the pleas.

Huggins appeared at Plymouth Crown Court yesterday via video link from the Wellesley Hospital mental health unit in Wellington, Somerset, following his arrest at an address in Ilbert Street, Stonehouse, Plymouth, on July 29 last year.

Prosecutor Christopher Quinlan KC told the court that Huggins had a long history of mental health conditions. He had moved to Ilbert Street three months prior to the incident, and his mother would frequently attend the property to help him. The court heard that a neighbour who had got to know Hazel from her visits said that it was "obvious she cared very much for her son".

Mr Quinlan explained that Huggins had a "long history of abusing alcohol and drugs" and his parents "never knew" what would trigger a psychotic episode.

He had previously assaulted his father "on more than one occasion" and the court was told that his father, Guy Huggins, was concerned that Huggins "manipulated" Hazel on occasions.

In late July, Huggins sent a text to his mother and asked her to deep-clean his home, even though it had been cleaned by her the week before. Mr Quinlan noted that Guy's witness statement to police explained how the couple were always "worried" about going to Huggins' flat. Guy drove her to the property and they kissed goodbye as she went in, carrying cleaning products, with a plan to pick her up at around 4pm. A neighbour told police Huggins appeared at the door "looking angry."