Yahoo News Detectives on 'distressing' Stoke murder as mum may never walk the streets again
Detectives investigating the devastating case of a mum who murdered her own two children say it was 'distressing for all involved'. Veronique John stabbed their father after leaving her son and daughter dead in the family's Stoke home.
Now investigating officers with Staffordshire Police say the tragic events on Flax Street impacted cops and the whole community. StokeonTrentLive reported how a jury took just 40 minutes to conclude 50-year-old John inflicted injuries which led to the deaths of her daughter and son and also unlawfully stabbed their father, Nathan John, in the stomach.
Daughter Elizabeth, aged seven, was pronounced dead at the Stoke property on June 11 last year, having suffered a fractured skull and knife wounds. Son Ethan, aged 11, suffered more than 20 sharp force injuries. The defendant had been ruled unfit to enter a plea or take part in any trial.
During the hearing at Nottingham Crown Court High Court Judge Mr Justice Choudhury said the reason for the 'abominable savagery' shown in killing the children appeared to be an attempt by John to 'hurt' her husband because of fears he may take their children away.
The charity shop worker, originally from the Caribbean island of St Vincent, was handed an indefinite hospital order. John, who has been diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder as well as personality and depressive disorders, was not present in court and was told of her sentence by video link.
The judge told John: "You claim that you are not a monster… but your acts were either those of a monster or someone who has lost all capacity to reason."
Staffordshire Police say should the defendant ever be deemed fit to enter a plea in the future then a trial would be called. Officers say the killing will have a lasting impact on all those touched by the tragedy.
Detective Chief Inspector Cheryl Hannan, from the force's major investigations department, said: “This case was distressing for all involved, it was traumatic for the local community, and has left so many people devastated by what happened. It’s not lost on me nor any of the officers that were involved in this investigation the lasting effect it will have on the many people that knew Ethan and Elizabeth, and the fond memories they have of them.
“My thoughts remain with their father, family and friends at such a tragic time both here and in other parts of the world. I’d also like to thank everyone from the local community who pulled together in such desperate times to help us investigate what happened and to provide as much support as possible for those affected.”
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