MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO KILLING HIS ELDERLY MOTHER

A 45-year old Wiltshire man has today, Friday, pleaded guilty at Winchester Crown Court to killing his mother – whose body was found near the Compton Abbas airfield in north Dorset during the summer.

Andrew William Lovell, aged 45, from Donhead St Mary in Wiltshire is due to be sentenced in January, 2009, for the manslaughter – with the defence of diminished responsibility – of 84-year old Joyce Nellie Lovell who also lived in the Wiltshire village.

Mrs Lovell’s partially concealed body was discovered at around 10.30am on Sunday 22 June 2008, lying in a bed of nettles at a location known locally as Chalkfield Gate, near Compton Abbas Airfield in Dorset.

Mrs Lovell was pronounced dead at the scene and a joint murder investigation by the Wiltshire Constabulary and Dorset Police was launched.

Home Office Pathologist Dr Basil Purdue conducted a forensic post mortem examination and gave the cause of death as multiple fractures to the head caused by a blunt instrument.

Andrew Lovell walked into Salisbury police station on Sunday, 23 June 2008, and confessed to killing his mother.

He was subsequently interviewed by detectives and admitted to causing the fatal blows.

Dorset Police Marine Section officers conducted a search of the River Stour in the Blandford area and recovered – among other items – a hammer believed to have been used in the attack.

The investigation into Mrs Lovell’s death was carried out by Dorset Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team and Wiltshire Constabulary’s Major Investigation Team with assistance from specialist colleagues in both forces, in particular crime scene investigation unit and marine section.

Detective Chief Inspector John Crossland, of Dorset Police, said: “This is a tragic case where a son has attacked his elderly mother leading to fatal consequences.

“The investigation team’s thoughts and sympathies from both police forces involved go out to the friends, neighbours and relatives Mrs Lovell.

“I would also like to praise the professionalism of all those involved in this distressing investigation, in particular our colleagues from the Wiltshire Constabulary.”