Woman battered grandfather to death then continued drinking unperturbed

UK: A woman who battered a retired landscape gardener to death and left him on the floor while she continued drinking has been found guilty of manslaughter.

Amanda Howard, 46, beat Gerry Nott, 64, to death in his own home in October last year where the pair had been drinking with a group of pals.

A court heard how she punched the grandfather a number of times on the head before kicking him to the floor.

Just days before the attack, Howard was heard shouting "I'll kill you" to Gerry, after accusing him of being a paedophile, Bristol Crown Court was told.

Jurors also heard how Howard had told a friend, the day before the attack that she had come off her medication and was "going to end up doing something she regrets".

On October 25 last year, Howard was amongst a group of friends who regularly gathered at Gerry's house to drink, when she began getting angry.

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The exact reasoning behind the argument is not known, though it was suggested Howard had been asked to leave the home in Coleford, Gloucester.

Others watched on "too scared" to intervene as she grabbed his head, slamming him to the floor before kicking him.

Gerry remained on the floor after the attack, though his friends believed this was due to the alcohol, and they returned to Howard's house to carry on drinking.

The following morning, a friend noticed Gerry was still on the floor and called 999. Shortly after he was pronounced dead by paramedics.

Rosaleen Collins, prosecuting, previously told the court: "Gerry was 64 years old when he was killed. He was a father, a husband, a step father and a grandfather.

"The defendant was known to Gerry and his drinking partners, she lived very close by.

"Whether she was as much of a drinker as the others is in doubt. She was a regular visitor, albeit not the most popular.

"It was she who attacked Gerry and what that did was cause fatal injuries to his brain, from which he died."

The jury of three women and nine men found Howard guilty of one count of manslaughter, but not guilty of murder following the trial.

She was remanded in custody to appear at the same court for sentencing on 22 May.

Detective Inspector Ian Ginn, from Gloucester Constabulary, said after the case: "This was a vicious and cowardly attack on a man in his own home.

"We hope Amanda Howard's conviction today will at least provide some comfort for the victim's family.

"The judge himself paid tribute to Gerald's family and Amanda Howard's family - saying they had both shown great dignity throughout the trial."