Murder attempt jury's leniency call 'unprecedented'

The lawyer of a man yesterday found guilty of attempting to murder his terminally ill mother today described the jury's comments on delivering its verdict as "unprecedented".

Ian Crutchley, 49, was charged over the death of Elsie Patricia Crutchley, 77, at Taumarunui's Avonlea Hospital and Home on February 5 last year.

He was last night found guilty by a jury in the High Court at Hamilton. The jury added a request to the judge for leniency.

Crutchley's lawyer, Roger Laybourn, said the Crutchley family was grateful for the recognition from the jury with the request.

"The request for leniency is uncommon, and is recognised in law. But the comment on the circumstances that he faced in this position, that nobody should ever be required or expected to endure, that is absolutely unprecedented," Mr Laybourn told Radio New Zealand.

Justice Patrick Keane did not enter a conviction but remanded Crutchley to appear in court today for a sentencing date to be set, The Waikato Times reports.

Mrs Crutchley was in the final stages of terminal stomach cancer, and died within hours of her son giving her an overdose of her drugs, which included a cocktail of morphine, painkillers and anti-anxiety medication.

Mr Laybourn said there was "huge sympathy" for Crutchley.

"He's prepared to take his medicine and be sentenced, but he certainly wants questions asked about why he was put in that position ... when he just wanted to spend his last hours with his mum."

Outside the court yesterday, Crutchley's sister Diane Millins said she was stunned at the verdict.

"I just can't believe it's turned out the way it has. I think my brother's innocent, I think he was put in an awful position when my mother was suffering," she said.

Crutchley told the court he never wanted to kill his mother.

The crown said Crutchley would have known his mother would have died following the increase in medication.

- NZPA