Gregory Coulson, aged 32, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after he murdered his 67-year-old mother, Carmen Coulson, at their Lingwood Park home in Longthorpe, Peterborough.
Cambridgeshire Police were called to the property early on 9 February last year following a report from Gregory. However, evidence showed that the fatal stabbing occurred the previous evening. Officers found Carmen with multiple stab wounds, including a fatal wound to the heart.
At Huntingdon Law Courts, Gregory Coulson denied the charge of murder, claiming that unknown intruders were responsible for his mother’s death. The jury unanimously rejected this defence on 10 March, finding him guilty.
He was sentenced on 4 June to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 26 years.
The post-mortem examination revealed that Carmen suffered numerous stab wounds across her body. Gregory admitted to stabbing her with a kitchen steak knife at around 10pm the night before police were called. He later confessed that he had been feeling overwhelmed by personal struggles and substance abuse.
Detective Inspector Mark Dollard revealed that Gregory had heavy cocaine and alcohol use in the three months leading up to the killing. Although the precise motive remains unclear, the detective expressed sympathy for Carmen’s family, noting their dignified conduct throughout the trial.
After his arrest, Gregory asked police how long a typical murder sentence might be. During police interviews, he accepted responsibility for the killing and described his actions as out of character, relating them to feelings of despair.
Originally published by UKNIP.
