Daughter killed mother, dismembered body and scattered parts in woods

A woman who stabbed her mum to death before dumping her dismembered body in woodland has been made subject of an indefinite hospital order.

Lucy Fox, 39, killed retired nurse Judy Fox, 65, at her home in Shifnal, Shropshire, last June before cutting up her corpse and disposing of her body close to the River Severn and Ironbridge Gorge in Coalport.

Fox was on Wednesday found to have unlawfully killed her mother following a trial of facts at Stafford Crown Court.

She had been deemed unfit to stand trial accused of murder and arson so jurors were asked to establish the facts of the case in her absence.

A jury unanimously decided Fox was responsible for her mum's death.

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A court heard Fox launched the attack on 12 June last year because she was upset her mother had put the family home up for sale.

After carrying out the killing she used her mum’s bank card in Asda to buy bin liners which she used to get rid of her body parts - including her severed head.

She also purchased six cans of lubricant petroleum, fuel cans, petrol, sweets, a ready meal, and some whiskey and later set a fire outside her brother's home.

Fox was also found to have committed a further act of setting a fire without lawful excuse at her brother’s address.

She was made subject to a mental health restriction order and will be detained in Ardenleigh Hospital in Birmingham.

The court heard Fox would spend "a very considerable degree of life in hospital" after being diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

The court was told Fox had bought two knives from a Dunelm store before driving to her mother's home where she stabbed her.

The kitchen was covered in blood, with splatters over the ceiling, walls, cupboard drawers and back door.

The court heard a lump hammer, saw and an axe were discovered nearby as well as two knives, one with a 10cm (3.9in) blade and another with a 15cm (5.9in) blade.

But there was no sign of Judy who worked as a staff nurse for local newspapers the Express & Star and Shropshire Star.

The week-long trial was told police discovered her severed head in a plastic bag on 10 July four weeks after she went missing.

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Prosecutor Kevin Hegarty QC said: "The stab injuries might have been caused when Judith Fox was attacked but they might have also been caused when Judith Fox was being dismembered.”

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Bellamy, of West Mercia Police, added: “This was a tragic and senseless killing that has left a family absolutely devastated by the loss of their mother, sister and grandmother in truly horrific circumstances and my thoughts remain with them at this incredibly difficult time.

“This was a challenging and complex investigation and I’d like to thank the investigation team for their hard work and commitment that has meant the Jury has reached the verdict it has today.”

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