Knife attack gran tasered

A FRAIL grandmother tasered by cops after stabbing her dementia-suffering husband 17 times has avoided a prison term.

Florence Thomson (78) cracked under the pressure of caring for her husband Keith (79), an Alzheimer’s sufferer, and repeatedly plunged a carving knife into his chest, leaving him lying on their bedroom floor covered in blood.

She then turned the knife on herself and when armed police went to the couple’s newly built bungalow in Long Sutton, near Spalding, on November 11 last year, officers believed she posed such a threat that they tasered her twice.

Her husband was rushed to hospital in nearby King’s Lynn where he was kept in the intensive care unit with 10 stab wounds to his chest as well as wounds to his shoulder, hands and right thigh.

Thomson, now aged 79, of Sturton Way, Long Sutton, admitted wounding Keith Thomson with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.

She walked free from Lincoln Crown Court on a zimmer-frame on Monday after she was given a two-year community order after Judge Michael Heath said this was a rare occasion where “justice should be tempered with mercy”.

Gordon Aspden, prosecuting, said “In recent years Keith Thomson has suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. The defendant was his sole carer. The dementia became a source of extreme frustration to her.

“Florence Thomson had for some time been finding things very difficult in coping with her husband’s dementia and caring for him. The cumulative effect appears to have caused this elderly lady to snap and to harm both herself and her husband.”

The stabbing was discovered when Florence Thomson’s daughter Sheena Pentney called in to check everything was alright.

Upon discovering the scene, she raised the alarm and police were dispatched.

Mr Aspden said “Her mother walked out of the kitchen holding a carving knife. She looked totally deranged. She had a wild look in her eyes and was covered in blood.

“Sheena went into the front bedroom where she found her TASERED: Florence Thomson was tasered by police after stabbing her husband 17 times. PICTURE: STEPHEN DANIELS/DANPICS step-father lying on the floor. He was also covered in blood.”.

Thomson was given an indefinite restraining order which means she can only visit her husband while supervised. She has also been banned from having any further contact with her daughter.

She had previously spent five months in custody on remand in prison.

Judge Heath, passing sentence, said “This is a highly unusual and extremely sad case. They had been happily married for 40 years and were devoted to each other.

“In 2003 Mr Thomson began to experience signs of memory loss. He eventually contracted dementia and it got progressively worse. She was his sole carer. Caring for anyone with dementia should not be underestimated. She found herself under a great strain and contracted a depressive illness.

“There are very exceptional cases where justice should be tempered with mercy. This is one of them.”