A man has been accused in court of leaving his 72-year-old mother to die in her bathroom, where she remained on the floor for two weeks. Veronica Irwin passed away in a distressing manner at her residence in Carlisle, Cumbria, due to alleged neglect by her son, Stewart Irwin, aged 56. Emergency services were eventually contacted after Irwin claimed his mother, under his care, had declined to get up following a fall.
Irwin, who denies the charge of manslaughter, reportedly described his mother as “stubborn” to the emergency services staff. When paramedics arrived at the scene in July 2023, they found the elderly woman partially unclothed and infested with maggots. A post-mortem examination revealed that she succumbed to hypothermia and sepsis from pressure sores, which developed as a result of spending an extended period on the bathroom floor.
Prosecutors informed the jury at Carlisle Crown Court that Irwin appeared to have disregarded his mother’s dire condition, even continuing to withdraw money from her bank account for personal use. Surveillance footage from a local store showed him purchasing alcohol regularly during the time his mother was left unattended. According to Prosecutor Phillip Barnes KC, Irwin neglected to seek medical assistance for his ailing mother, demonstrating a lack of responsibility and care.
Mr. Barnes emphasized in court that Irwin displayed a callous indifference to his mother’s suffering, carrying on with his daily routine while she lay in a critical state. The prosecution argued that any reasonable caregiver would have taken immediate action to aid the elderly woman. The trial proceedings are ongoing.
