Man who strangled his granddaughter is freed

11:40am Tuesday 26th June 2012 in News

Man who strangled his granddaughter is freed Man who strangled his granddaughter is freed

A grandfather who throttled his granddaughter on the pretext that he was giving her a necklace has been released from prison by a judge.

Michael Brookes dumped the unconscious body of 18-year-old Jodie Oliver in his garden shed in Wey Place, Droitwich, Worcester Crown Court was told.

It was some hours before her grandmother returned from a car boot sale and Jodie was able to get out.

When he appeared before Worcester magistrates in March, Michael Brookes, aged 62, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and false imprisonment.

He had been in custody for 101 days since he was arrested.

Making a three-year community order Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins said Brookes needed help rather than punishment.

It was essential that he was supervised by the probation service and took all the medication prescribed for him.

Tim Harrington, prosecuting, said Jodie Oliver had been visiting her grandfather.

He said he had a necklace for her but when he was putting it round her neck, he began strangling her with such force that she was unconscious for several hours.

“There was no premeditation or provocation,” he said. “He was possibly suffering from some mental illness or depression.”

Miss Oliver was sick and suffered the classic signs of strangulation – marks on her neck, two black eyes and bloodshot eyeballs.

When Mrs Brookes returned, her husband said he had taken an overdose of his tablets and was lying in a field but he was back in the house by the evening. When arrested, he said nothing on a solicitor’s advice but commented: “I know I have been stupid.”

Mr Harrington said Miss Oliver had been upset and confused and was concerned about her relationship with the family.

Kevin Farquason, defending, said Brookes was suffering from depression but was not on medication at the time. He was now being treated. He felt remorse and disbelief over his actions.

The judge described it as “a most unusual case”. In 2001, Brookes’s daughter was killed in a road accident and he had also been made bankrupt.

He became subject to depression and this appeared to be the root cause for his actions.

Comments(10)

tsalt21 says...
12:43pm Tue 26 Jun 12

Where is the justice ?

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roguetomato says...
3:55pm Tue 26 Jun 12

So, he should be put in a mental facility. Probably won't though, costs too much.

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Ian_25 says...
7:16pm Tue 26 Jun 12

Mental Illness is a medical problem like cancer or a heart condition. The judge, on advice from specialist Doctors has decided that this person was ill and not in control of his actions at this time. Like all ill people he needs treatment not punishment.

One of the greatest problems we have in this country is understanding that mental illness is a medical condition and requires treatment just like any other medical condition.

1 in 5 people suffer from a mental illness at some time in their lives. It could be you, it will be someone in your family and it will be some of your friends. Let's hope you or that person does not hurt anyone else when it happens.

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Ian_25 says...
7:22pm Tue 26 Jun 12

Lets also remember that in the news at this time is a person who committed suicide by jumping in front of a train. He was most probably also mentally ill at the time of his actions, and also did not get the treatment he needed in advance of his tragic death.

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worcswolf says...
8:40am Wed 27 Jun 12

Their are a lot of prisoners in prison suffering mental illness. A lot get diagnosed whilst inside on last nights lifers program on channel 4 was a man with asbergers diagnosed whilst inside who killed a woman. Their are better opportunities to treat people with mental illness inside has they have to attend appointments and take medication. Surely this mans mental state would've been assessed prior to sentencing.

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Geep says...
5:38pm Wed 27 Jun 12

Going by another story in the EN, you get fined - & pay a victim surcharge - for calling a policeman a pig - an insult that goes back 300 years. Strangle a young woman, & get a supervision order.
You wonder why people have no respect for the law/justice?

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Ian_25 says...
1:47pm Thu 28 Jun 12

Geep, which do you think is worse, a fine or a supervision order?

The supervision order can last for life (as in until his death) unlike a prison sentence. If he does not take the medication or his health deteriorates, he can be picked up and detained by the police at any time and taken to a secure hospital until he is better again.

Treatment for an illness and allowing the sick person to live as normal a life as possible whilst balancing the risk that the person may become ill again and hurt someone else. A difficult task, but it isn't the sick persons fault that they are ill.

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kay brookes says...
2:37pm Thu 28 Jun 12

look ye justice was done ye he knows what he has done was rong now an gettin the help he needs wich is what our family wanted is to get him help not get sent down you dont no the whole story so dnt b quick to judge jst by wot u read in the paper an glad they took into concideration wot i sed in my statement

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Geep says...
6:22pm Thu 28 Jun 12

Ian-25 & Kay Brookes - My apologies if my comment caused offence. Kay is quite right to say we never get the whole story, whether from the local or national papers. I am afraid I am a bit sensitive about such matters. Due to both my elderly mother & aunt being attacked in their own homes by people who should not have been allowed out in the community. The attacks resulted in them both living in nursing homes until their deaths, as they were afraid to live in their own homes. As Ian says, a difficult task, but why should innocent people suffer? Both my Mum & aunt were unheard heroes of WW2, working as Air Raid Wardens & Medics. Nice way for the country to treat them in their twilight years...

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Ian_25 says...
7:16pm Thu 28 Jun 12

The problem is that the Government continually reduces the amount of money spent caring for the mentally ill. Worcestershire (and everywhere else) does not have enough money to fund enough in-patient beds in either secure and non-secure accommodation, nor does it have enough money to provide treatment and care in the community in order to help the mentally ill or protect others from the small minority of dangerous ones.

Mental illness is not seen as a "sexy" illness and so is an easy target to cut money from - The patients being too ill to complain.

Meanwhile we had the Race for Life last week raising even more money for cancer which is arguably less of a problem than mental illness.

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