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A Carlisle man has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison after neglecting his 74-year-old mother, who remained on their bathroom floor for two weeks as she slowly died. Stewart Irwin contacted emergency services on the afternoon of 28 July 2023, reporting that his mother’s skin was turning blue. Paramedics who attended the Rydal Street flat found the elderly woman unconscious, partly unclothed, and severely malnourished.
At Carlisle Crown Court, it was revealed that the pensioner was found in a critical state. The attending paramedics initially suspected she had already passed away, and from outside the property, they were met with the strong odor of a decomposing body. The court heard that Mrs. Irwin was dangerously cold and had extensive wounds that penetrated through the full thickness of her skin. Despite being taken to hospital, she died later that day due to hypothermia and pressure ulcers covering over a third of her body surface. Prosecutor Phil Barnes KC highlighted that her basic hygiene needs appeared to have been completely neglected.
During the trial, evidence showed that Irwin had portrayed himself as his mother’s carer, claiming to provide at least 35 hours of care each week and having given up work to fulfill this role. Nevertheless, throughout the two weeks his mother lay on the bathroom floor, Irwin was said to be continuing with his daily routine, including withdrawing money from her bank account and making nine trips to a nearby shop to purchase bottles of cider. The last of these visits occurred the day before he finally called emergency services. Although Irwin denied gross negligence manslaughter, a jury unanimously found him guilty after hearing distressing testimony and viewing graphic images of his mother’s injuries and their filthy living conditions.
Irwin chose not to give evidence at his trial, but it was revealed that he previously told a clinical psychologist he had “tried to help” his mother, who allegedly “repeatedly refused” assistance. His defence barrister, Andrew Ford KC, argued that Irwin was accustomed to respecting his mother’s wishes over the years and described him as a man of lower than average intellectual functioning. Ford acknowledged that the 999 call was “too late by a long way” and described it as a difficult action to take. Adding to this, he stated, “He has always said to anyone prepared to listen… that he tried to move her and couldn’t. She wasn’t for being moved. She wanted to stay where she was.” Ford concluded by describing Irwin as “a man who is distressed about all this.
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