Yahoo News Peckham man who beat own mum to death and said fractured ribs were 'from CPR' sentenced to 21 years
A Peckham man has been sentenced to a minimum term of 21 years' imprisonment after beating his own mum to death. He was sentenced on April 16 after being found guilty of her murder in March 2020.
Steffon Hewitt, 51, of Blake's Road in Peckham was found guilty at Isleworth Crown Court of murdering his mother, 68-year-old Vanita Nowell. His mother had come to live with him from Barbados the year before her murder.
Hewitt blamed his mother's death on her falling over from her dementia but investigators found this was untrue when looking at forensic and medical evidence. Prosecutors said that it was instead a vicious attack by Hewitt that caused his mother's death.
Hewitt called emergency services to his home on Sunday, March 8, 2020, saying that he found his mother on the bathroom floor unresponsive. When paramedics arrived, Vanita was already dead.
Hewitt said that he tried CPR to revive her and may have broken a few of her ribs. However, when medics looked over her later they deduced that the extent of the fractures could not have been caused by him performing CPR.
In total Vanita suffered 28 fresh rib fractures, and six fractures of her spine, with extensive bruising all over. She also sustained a traumatic brain injury.
Detective Constable Nick Stocking, part of the team that led the murder investigation, said: “Hewitt showed no remorse when killing his mother by inflicting significant and extensive injuries, resulting in what would have been a painful death. Vanita suffered from 28 fresh rib fractures and six fractures of her spine alongside extensive bruising to her face, head and body. She also sustained a traumatic brain injury.
“This was a vicious attack but Hewitt attempted to blame it on his mother’s constant falling due to her dementia. A combination of forensic and medical evidence proved this was not true and it is reflected in today’s sentencing.”
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