A 'devious' drug addict who savagely murdered her mum composed a fake suicide note in an attempt to cover up her awful crimes.
Cassandra Scott, 36, stabbed her mother Beverley 10 times in a crack cocaine fuelled rage, then left her body in the house they shared for two-and-a-half months.
An apparently heartfelt message was left on Beverley's phone and appeared to be addressed to her daughter - but when it was written, the mother was already dead.
Hours after the killing, Cassandra composed the message herself on her mother's phone to cover up her crimes.
According to the MEN, the note read: "I'm sorry for not being there for you, please forgive me Cass, but I can't carry on living this life with the drugs.
"I'm not strong enough to carry on living this life."
It was never actually sent, but was just one aspect of the desperate web of lies she spun, to try and cover up the horrific truth of what she had done.
Cassandra, who must serve at least 17 years in jail, even sent her mother a message on Facebook wishing her happy birthday, the day after the murder is thought to have occurred.
Beverley, 58, had previously told police she was 'terrified' of her daughter and scared of her temper.
The police were called out previously after Cassandra kicked her to the chest, and punched her to the ground years before.
A judge hit out at Cassandra, of Longsight, for trying to 'blacken' her mother's name, by claiming Beverley had come at her with a knife.
He said that in fact Cassandra had 'pounced' on her mother with a 21cm kitchen knife, when she had turned her back.
Cassandra had dragged her mother's body from the murder scene in the kitchen, to a cupboard under the stairs, having wrapped it in plastic and covered it in bedding and curtains.
She also tried to cover up the blood on the walls and floor with paint.
The judge accepted that Cassandra had an 'appalling childhood', witnessing domestic violence and drug abuse.
"I am sure that everyone in court felt enormous sympathy with you for having to endure such a miserable childhood.
"But the fact that Beverley Scott was addicted to drugs does not make her life worth any less than anyone else, and does not remotely justify what happened to her.
"She did not deserve to die such a violent and terrifying death."
At Manchester Crown Court Cassandra was handed a life sentence for murder, and ordered to serve a minimum of 17 years.
"It is clear to me that when you drink or take drugs you are prone to physically violent outbursts of temper," the judge told the defendant.
"I am sure that fuelled by crack cocaine, you pounced on her with the knife while her back was turned to you.
"You had the audacity to allege self defence, that was both callous and cowardly.
"I am satisfied that for whatever reason, at the time of the incident, your intention was to kill Beverley."
The judge rejected Cassandra's explanation that the argument flared up after she told her mother she was thinking of moving back in with her ex partner.
"What you did after the murder is in some ways was equally shocking," the judge added.
Cassandra did not call for an ambulance and went to stay with a friend, leaving her mother's body to decompose.
She lied about her whereabouts, claiming she was in rehab.
The exact date of the killing is not known, but the judge said it most likely occurred on April 1.
Beverley's body was discovered on June 11.
After the hearing, Gary Crawford, Senior Crown Prosecutor at CPS North West said: "We may never know what drove Cassandra Scott to stab her mother in such a persistent and violent way.
"Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the case and the callous and devious way Cassandra Scott sought to cover up what she had done."
GMP Senior Investigating Officer Duncan Thorpe said: "This was a brutal murder, and not only did Cassandra take Beverley's life, she did everything in her power to conceal it - lying to family friends and neighbours, causing them extreme upset and distress.
"My thoughts remain with Beverley's loved ones as they try to come to terms with what has happened.
"We're pleased that Cassandra Scott will spend at least 17 years in prison, and while this sentencing won't bring Beverley back, I hope it'll offer her family some closure to an horrendous chapter in their lives.
"I want to thank Beverley's family for their patience during this ordeal, and I hope this sentence sends a strong message that we will always seek to bring those responsible for crimes such as this to justice, and work to gather enough evidence to ensure they are removed from society for as long as possible."
