Son Googled 'how long in prison if I slit someone's throat' after killing mum

Provided by Metro John Cole, 36, (L) who stabbed his mum Wendy Cole, 70, (R) to death in May last year (Picture: Cambridgeshire Police / SWNS)

A man who Googled ‘how long in prison if I slit someone’s throat’ after murdering his mum has been jailed for life.

John Cole, 36, was his mum Wendy Cole’s full-time carer before fatally stabbing the 70-year-old at their home in May last year.

In a chilling 999 call made at 3am, Cole told operators he had ‘done something stupid’ saying: ‘I’ve killed my mum and the dog’.

Cole, who handed himself into the local police station, added: ‘I’ve stabbed her several times, had thoughts in my head, they tell me to do it.’

When police arrived at the family bungalow in March, Cambridgeshire, on May 10, they found a bloodstained knife in the hallway.

Wendy was found in bed with stab wounds but still alive, however, she died 30- minutes after officers arrived.

In Cole’s bedroom was a laptop displaying a Google search which read: ‘If slit someone’s throat how long in prison’.

Further analysis of Cole’s laptop found other searches of ‘how long can you get for murder with knife’ and ‘if I stab and slit someone’s throat how long do I go jail for’.

The computer also had Google searches of: ‘mum murdered’, ‘mum murdered by son with knife’ and ‘son murdered mum with knife’.

Cole was arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to Peterborough City Hospital where he was deemed to be medically fit and discharged with a diagnosis of anxiety disorder.

Following a six-day trial at Peterborough Crown Court last month Cole was found guilty of murder.

Detectives found that Cole, who had lived with his mum for six years, rarely left his home and was concerned over his mum’s deteriorating health.

Last year he tried to contact care home companies to take Wendy but told social services he was depressed and had concerns over the cost, the trial heard.

Cole’s sister later told police the family house was clean but that her mum was ‘skin and bone’ and had lost a lot of weight.

Wendy was said to be reluctant to move into a care home.

Two days before the murder, Cole broke down while doing food shopping and told a staff member that his mum could no longer do anything.

Later the same day he broke down again while his sister was visiting and said that he couldn’t cope.

A post-mortem examination concluded that Wendy had suffered stab wounds and cuts to her neck but had died from being stabbed three times in the chest.

There were also minor cuts to both her hands suggesting she had tried to defend herself.

On Wednesday, Cole was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 11 years before he will be considered for release.

DI Rich Stott, of the Beds, Cambs and Herts Major Crime Unit (MCU), said: ‘This has been a thorough and extensive investigation under terribly sad circumstances, and I am glad it has reached a conclusion.

‘What Cole did that day was a brutal and horrific act of violence, which saw a woman who was a mother, a friend and a neighbour tragically lose her life.

‘My thoughts and sympathies are with her family.’ 

Reference: metro: Sabrina Johnson