A son who killed his mum by stabbing her 80 times in a ferocious attack has been given a life sentence.
Aaron Matthew brutally killed his mum Ingrid at his flat in Highfields, Leicester, last September.
The 19-year-old was sentenced today at Leicester Crown Court and will have to serve at least six years and 226 days behind bars before he can be considered for release.
During the trial he was branded “dangerous” and posing a “serious risk to the community”, LeicestershireLive reported.
In April Matthew pleaded guilty to killing 54-year-old Ingrid and changed his plea from murder, with which he’d been charged, to manslaughter.
Ingrid’s body was only discovered by her former partner and Matthew’s father dad, Andrew Marshall, in the son’s bedroom on September 11 last year.
Only hours earlier she was said to have been playing games on her phone and Mr Marshall said all had been “quiet” and “normal”.
He also said that Ingrid and Matthew had had a “good relationship” and his son had never threatened to harm them.
Matthew used a hunting knife he had purchased without his family’s knowledge to kill Ingrid and changed clothes and fled the scene.
Post-mortem examinations found Ingrid suffered a total of 83 attacks during the frenzied attack and that they had chipped at her skull and fractured three ribs.
Experts said she likely bled to death.
After he fled to Peterborough, Matthew handed himself in to police and during the trial since the teen has been diagnosed with autism - something that would have “impaired his judgement” in the moments around the stabbing, the court heard.
Despite his claims he had no recollection of events, prosecutors said they believed Matthew still largely understood what he had done.
Kate Goddard QC said at today's hearing: “Aaron Matthew hid possession of the knife from his father. He changed his clothes after the [killing] and left the Leicester area before making arrangements to hand himself in to police.
“He did not call for help for his mother after stabbing Ingrid and was unable to be contacted until one day after the [killing].”
Narita Bahra QC, who was defending Matthew, said he had since shown remorse for his actions, but his ASD diagnosis meant his life was difficult.
“In previous letters, he accepts he has done wrong and knows he cannot bring his mother back," she said. "This is a young man who knows he will receive a significant sentence.
“Aaron has difficulty understanding the feelings of others. People had told him he had a 'flat face'. He is now 19 years of age and has discovered he has a mental health disorder - one he did know about before the offence. There is a lot of work that needs to be done to help this young man.”
The court was told that Matthew was of “previous good character” and had no prior convictions. But judge Adrienne Lucking QC said she believed he posed a risk to the community after it was revealed had suffered from angry outbursts during his life.
“Taking into account the circumstances, I am satisfied there is a serious risk to the community for further offences and people coming to serious harm," she said. "Aaron Matthew is dangerous. He has a propensity to anger and violent outbursts and one result of that saw him inflict 83 wounds to his mother."
Describing the events as a “deeply sad case” for the family of both Ingrid and Matthew, and saying that “no sentence” would cover the loss of Ingrid, Judge Lucking handed the teenager a life sentence. Unlike murder, life sentences are not automatic in manslaughter cases.
Matthew was also issued with two restraining orders preventing him from contacting his grandmother and another relative for the rest of their lives.
Speaking after sentencing, senior investigator Detective Inspector Nicole Main, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: “Only Aaron Matthew can explain why he took his own mother’s life. I hope today’s sentencing can provide a degree of closure to Ingrid’s family and those to who she was closest.
“Sadly, no sentence given will bring her back and my heartfelt condolences go out to them as they continue with the grieving process to come to terms with their loss.”
