A former Eton College master killed his "incredible" 84-year-old mum as she rang 99 for help, a court heard. Despite threatening to harm her before, he was able to live with her after being diagnosed with a mental health condition, and undergoing stints of treatment.
Matthew Corry was today handed a hospital order after admitting the manslaughter of 84-year-old "force of nature" Beatrice Corry. The mum and son had been sharing a flat in a converted grammar school at Cotswolds beauty spot Chipping Campden when she was found dead in the street on January 6.
Police were called to ancient Gloucestershire market town at 12.30pm where Ms Corry, a retired teacher and charity volunteer, was found with fatal head injuries.
By being given the hospital order, it means he will not be discharged into the community until doctors deem he is fit to be. The judge told Corry, who listened intently throughout sentencing: "You pleaded guilty to killing your mother Beatrice Corry on January 6.
"Beatrice Corry was 84 and from what I've been told people never would have known. She was fit, healthy and sprightly. A trained nurse who worked as a teacher, of excellent reputation, a pillar of the comminity at Chipping Campden."
He said Beatrice had phoned the local doctors on January 5 saying Corry had been unwell and was causing concern and making threats to his own life.
The judge told him: "You had plainly lost insight again. You went to the surgery and asked them remove you from any list of people to triage that day. It was just after midnight on the morning of January 6 when Beatrice phoned 999 telling them you had become manic and had attacked her.
"The call captures much of the attack being launched."
The judge said Corry could be heard threatening to cut his mother's throat and being verbally abusive to her. After she was killed, he then filmed a video of the house.
Judge Blair added: "The police came to arrest you - but sadly it was too late to save your mother." Corry was later heard saying he killed her "in an act of passion" - because she tried to make him attend a doctor's appointment.
The judge said: "You said you had kicked, stamped and kneed her. She suffered appalling and horrific injuries. Those in her chest and abdomen were most in keeping with those involving stamps, kicks and knee drops. Her injuries were appalling."
The judge said that, after recommendations from two psychiatrists, he would impose a restricted hospital order. He said it was designed to provide protection both for Corry's family and the community.
Before moving to Chipping Campden, Ms Corry had lived in The Styles apartments in Berkshire, in the former home of crime writer Agatha Christie.
She had been part of the University of the Third Age, volunteering at Campden's Home Nursing charity shop. Paying tribute at the time of her death, CEO Helen Makaritis said: "Beatrice was an incredible lady, she had so much energy and would regularly have completed a 5-mile walk before her shift in the shop.
"Described as a 'force of nature' by the shop team, she was always positive and never afraid to voice her opinion, a very intelligent lady who was knowledgeable about so many things. Never without a scarf or a twinkle in her eye, she was loved by us all.
"We are lucky to have many funny anecdotes and stories in our memory banks and she will be remembered with great affection. We send our heartfelt condolences to her family, especially her grandchildren, of whom she talked of often and with immense pride."
Corry worked at Eton until 2008 and had been teaching biology at fee-paying Godolphin and Latymer, in West London, until April 2020.
