Teen ‘stabbed gran to death as she was having a bath’
After restaurateur researched drug rehab facilities for grandson...
A MILLIONAIRE restaurateur was stabbed to death by her grandson after she became concerned about how much cannabis he was smoking and began researching rehab facilities, a court has heard.
Sue Addis, the owner of popular Brighton eateries Donatello’s and Pinocchio’s, was attacked by Pietro Addis, 17, as she lay in the bath, Lewes Crown Court was told yesterday.
The teenager stabbed the 69-yearold at least 17 times in January 2021. He then allegedly called 999 and said: ‘I’m calling to turn myself in. There’s been a murder.’
Mrs Addis opened Donatello’s and Pinocchio’s in the 1970s. Her three sons, Leo, Stefano and Mikele, all worked at the restaurants, which attracted celebrities including actor Bill Nighy, Katie Price, Michelle Collins and a host of Premier League footballers.
The court heard the defendant, now 19, had been diagnosed with ADHD and had been prescribed medication for the condition.
But as well as taking the medication, he had also begun regularly
‘He admits killing her’
smoking cannabis and taking antidepressants, as his behaviour deteriorated. He began to skip college and often failed to turn up for work at the family restaurants.
Addis had been living with his father, Leo, and his stepmother during lockdown in Brighton but after an argument he moved out and stayed with his grandmother in the city.
Rossano Scamardella QC, prosecuting, said that on the day of her death, Mrs Addis returned from working at Donatello’s at around 4pm and began searching online for treatment for her grandson.
He said: ‘She was researching “the Priory, Ticehurst”, which is a private clinic/hospital for addiction and mental health treatment.
‘She also searched “Brighton to Ticehurst by car”.
‘What then followed in the leadup to her death is unclear. Only the two of them were at the house and nobody other than Mrs Addis and Pietro were witness to the events immediately before he stabbed her to death as she lay in the bath.
‘He admits killing her. His case is that he was suffering from paranoid psychosis at the time.
‘It is the Crown’s case that Pietro suffered no such psychosis at the time of the killing, and he in fact bears complete responsibility for the murder of his grandmother.’ Yesterday, jurors were shown bodycam footage recorded by police officers at the scene.
Addis was seen wearing a white hooded sweatshirt and was monosyllabic in response to questions from officers.
PC Richard Hall told the court: ‘I took a hold of him and arrested him on suspicion of murder. He remained very calm. I asked him, “Where is your nan?” He said, “She’s upstairs in the bath”.
‘It [the bath] was red. There were lots of torn-up pieces of newspaper floating in the water. There was a knife on the floor.’
Addis has admitted manslaughter but denies a charge of murder.
The trial continues.