A woman has received a suspended sentence for gross negligence manslaughter after allowing her disabled sister, a former stroke nurse, to die in severe conditions.
Michelle Neill, 55, avoided immediate imprisonment after pleading guilty to the charge in relation to the death of her 48-year-old sister, Kelly Neill.
Sentencing her at the Old Bailey to three years in custody, suspended for three years, Judge Richard Marks KC described the case as highly unusual and exceptionally distressing.
Conditions at the family home
The court heard from prosecutor Anthony Orchard KC that Ms Neill died from sepsis caused by severe bed sores whilst under the defendant's care. During the hearing, the victim's son, Jake Neill-Knight, 26, criticized the defendant from the witness box for failing to care for his mother.
The victim had previously worked as a stroke nurse and became paralysed after suffering a stroke herself in 2018. She lived in “toxic” and “appalling” conditions after her sister took over as sole carer following the death of their mother.
At the time of her death, no disability benefits were being received into the household and there had been no visits from a GP or social services for “many months”.
Paramedics' discovery
On the morning of October 20 2022, the defendant had called for an ambulance to attend the family home in Deptford, south London. Paramedics found Ms Neill on the floor of the living room in unsanitary conditions, surrounded by dirt, decay and clutter. She was distressed, non-verbal and groaning.
Mr Orchard said: “In the front room they were greeted by the smell of excrement, urine, general dirt, and decaying flesh. The room was in a dreadful state, with clutter everywhere.
“Kelly Neill was on the floor, wrapped in a soiled and filthy bed sheet, surrounded by urine, blood and flies. She was wet.”
On lifting her, the paramedics saw she had multiple severe bed sores with obvious signs of infection and necrosis with flies and at least one cigarette butt stuck to her leg. She was taken to St Thomas's hospital in London and died on October 23 2022.
A post-mortem examination found the cause of death was sepsis, due to multiple skin ulcers and the previous stroke.
Victim's son speaks out
Prior to her death, Ms Neill's son had argued with his aunt over her care and told her that his mother needed to be in a home. But the defendant disagreed and controlled access the house, the court heard.
Mr Neill-Knight had last seen his mother in February 2022 and went to Spain that summer to visit his girlfriend, returning to the UK after the death of his grandmother.
Reading a victim impact statement in court, Mr Neill-Knight described the ongoing and devastating loss of his mother in “harrowing” circumstances. He said his mother had been “stolen” in a “disgusting manner” with her “dignity stripped and her body defiled”.
He told the court: “When she first went into hospital before she died, I could hardly recognised her, she was a shell of what used to be, so small, curled up stiff and rigid….The bed sores were horrendous.”
Mr Neill-Knight described guilt about what happened, but said: “The guilt we carry because of the choice that Michelle made is unjust.
“I can't even begin to imagine how anybody could walk past a person or ignore someone in my mum's condition leading up to her death.
“I'd help a random stranger if they were in that way, so a family member, no sane person would do what my aunt has done to a member of their family.
“My mum wasn't just someone Michelle cared for or a job she was getting paid for. No, my mum was her only sister, her little sister.
“She was supposed to look after her. Protect her. Her own flesh and blood, that she walked past for God knows how many days before calling an ambulance.
“How could you do that, see that, smell that, feel that and do nothing? That is pure evil.”
Sentencing remarks
Mitigating, Jennifer Dempster KC said Neill had expressed “genuine remorse”. Earlier this morning, Neill had told her: “This does not end for me today. This will be something I will carry for the rest of my life. I will never forgive myself for what has happened.”
Judge Marks noted Neill, who had anxiety and depression, was “completely unable” to care for her sister and “incapable of seeking help”. He added that it was “impossible to accept” she had been unaware of the severity of her sister's condition.
He told her: “I also accept that you loved Kelly and you are genuinely and profoundly remorseful for events.”
The judge said he would suspend her sentence due to her “personal mitigation” and because she is not likely to reoffend.
