Son guilty of leaving mum to die in Carlisle bathroom

A man who failed to help his 74-year-old mother as she lay for two weeks slowly dying on their bathroom floor has been convicted of her manslaughter.

Carlisle Crown Court was told paramedics, who attended the flat in the city where Stewart Irwin and his mother Veronica lived, found the pensioner unconscious, semi-naked and malnourished while lying in a recovery-type position.

Irwin, 56, finally dialled 999 on 28 July 2023 reporting that his mother’s skin had “started to turn blue”, had been “refusing help”, was “scaring the hell out of me” and was “one of them stubborn old women”.

Jurors unanimously found Irwin guilty of manslaughter. He was bailed ahead of sentencing on 11 September.

Warning: This story contains descriptions of injuries some readers may find distressing.

During the trial, the jury heard Veronica Irwin had suffered a fall in the bathroom which prosecutor Phil Barnes KC said was the only one in the small flat she shared with her son.

“He must have been stepping over her every few hours simply to use the toilet or brush his teeth,” Barnes said.

“If only she had been moved, or had had medical attention sooner, she undoubtedly would have survived.”