A woman who set fire to her disabled mother-in-law's bed as she slept, killing her for inheritance money, has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 32 years.
Karen Vamplew, 44, was convicted of murdering Elizabeth Vamplew, 77, at her bungalow in Newark, Nottinghamshire, on 15 December 2021. The victim died from burns and smoke inhalation.
Sentencing at Leicester Crown Court, Judge Timothy Spencer described the act as 'wicked and terrible'. He noted that Mrs Vamplew, known as Anne, was deaf and had poor mobility, and would have woken to find her bed on fire, confused and terrified.
The court heard that Vamplew, who was her mother-in-law's carer, had drained Anne's bank account from £27,000 to just £105 in the months before the fire. The bank had put a stop on the account the day before the fire, prompting Vamplew to plan the killing.
Judge Spencer said Vamplew regarded Anne as a burden and believed that her husband Mark, who was unaware of her debts, would inherit half the estate, enabling debts to be paid. CCTV showed Vamplew leaving her home at 00:35 GMT on the night of the fire and later reporting the blaze at 01:25, claiming she had gone to check on Anne but had forgotten her keys.
The judge rejected Vamplew's account, stating that part of her plan was to present herself as a heroine thwarted by the fire. He added that there was significant planning, albeit 'half-baked', which ended in disaster for everyone.
