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| Killer mother's 'deliberate' act | Killer mother's 'deliberate' act |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A mother killed her four-year-old disabled daughter because she saw it as the solution to her own problems, a jury has been told. | A mother killed her four-year-old disabled daughter because she saw it as the solution to her own problems, a jury has been told. |
| Joanne Hill, 32, admits killing Naomi, at their home in Connah's Quay, Flintshire, but denies murder due to diminished responsibility. | Joanne Hill, 32, admits killing Naomi, at their home in Connah's Quay, Flintshire, but denies murder due to diminished responsibility. |
| In his closing speech, prosecutor Michael Chambers said Mrs Hill could not cope with Naomi's disability. | In his closing speech, prosecutor Michael Chambers said Mrs Hill could not cope with Naomi's disability. |
| She had mild cerebral palsy which caused her walking and hearing issues. | She had mild cerebral palsy which caused her walking and hearing issues. |
| Michael Chambers QC told the jury at Chester Crown Court Mrs Hill made a "deliberate and conscious" decision to kill her daughter because she was disabled and could not cope with it. | |
| "It must have been only a few days before the defendant killed Naomi that she was saying to her husband that she wanted to have Naomi adopted or at least fostered by their childminder," he said. | "It must have been only a few days before the defendant killed Naomi that she was saying to her husband that she wanted to have Naomi adopted or at least fostered by their childminder," he said. |
| "By saying she wanted to have Naomi adopted she was rejecting her. | "By saying she wanted to have Naomi adopted she was rejecting her. |
| He added Mrs Hill's husband, Simon Hill had said during the trial his wife had never accepted Naomi. | He added Mrs Hill's husband, Simon Hill had said during the trial his wife had never accepted Naomi. |
| "Simon told you that in the weeks preceding the killing the defendant was drinking heavily and it caused a deterioration in their marriage," Mr Chambers said. | "Simon told you that in the weeks preceding the killing the defendant was drinking heavily and it caused a deterioration in their marriage," Mr Chambers said. |
| On 26 November, 2007 Mrs Hill, who has a history of mental health problems, collected Naomi from a childminder and took her home, where she ran a bath and drowned her. | On 26 November, 2007 Mrs Hill, who has a history of mental health problems, collected Naomi from a childminder and took her home, where she ran a bath and drowned her. |
| She then dressed the little girl and put her in her car with a bottle of wine before driving around for eight hours. | She then dressed the little girl and put her in her car with a bottle of wine before driving around for eight hours. |
| Joanne Hill drowned her daughter Naomi in the bath | Joanne Hill drowned her daughter Naomi in the bath |
| The following day, Mrs Hill arrived at the Countess of Chester hospital with her dead daughter in her arms, shouting for help. | The following day, Mrs Hill arrived at the Countess of Chester hospital with her dead daughter in her arms, shouting for help. |
| The defence argued she was guilty of manslaughter because she was suffering an "abnormality of the mind" when she killed Naomi. | The defence argued she was guilty of manslaughter because she was suffering an "abnormality of the mind" when she killed Naomi. |
| The defence said the abnormality was a form of atypical affective disorder, resulting in severe depression and "disassociation" of emotions. | The defence said the abnormality was a form of atypical affective disorder, resulting in severe depression and "disassociation" of emotions. |
| Mr Chambers added: "We know on the Thursday before the killing (the defendant) was drinking and sleeping with another man. | Mr Chambers added: "We know on the Thursday before the killing (the defendant) was drinking and sleeping with another man. |
| "We say that the evidence of what she did on the day and night of Naomi's killing, evidence of what she said and did, shows that she was rational. | "We say that the evidence of what she did on the day and night of Naomi's killing, evidence of what she said and did, shows that she was rational. |
| "She clearly knew what she was doing, this was a deliberate and conscious act. | "She clearly knew what she was doing, this was a deliberate and conscious act. |
| 'Appalling illness' | 'Appalling illness' |
| "She killed Naomi because she was disabled. She saw it as the solution to her own problems. She sought to justify it by saying Naomi was better off dead. | "She killed Naomi because she was disabled. She saw it as the solution to her own problems. She sought to justify it by saying Naomi was better off dead. |
| "This was clearly misguided and fundamentally flawed but that does not mean she was mentally ill." | "This was clearly misguided and fundamentally flawed but that does not mean she was mentally ill." |
| Mrs Hill is being held on remand at the Ty Llewellyn medium secure hospital unit near Bangor. | Mrs Hill is being held on remand at the Ty Llewellyn medium secure hospital unit near Bangor. |
| Stephen Riordan QC, for the defence, outlined Mrs Hill's troubled mental health history which began at the age of 17 when she saw a child psychiatrist for depression and compulsive thoughts. | Stephen Riordan QC, for the defence, outlined Mrs Hill's troubled mental health history which began at the age of 17 when she saw a child psychiatrist for depression and compulsive thoughts. |
| He described Naomi's death as the tragic consequence of an appalling illness. | He described Naomi's death as the tragic consequence of an appalling illness. |
| "This illness, which from time to time Joanne Hill has suffered, has dominated her life whether she liked it or not," he said. | "This illness, which from time to time Joanne Hill has suffered, has dominated her life whether she liked it or not," he said. |
| "It is a disease that needs treatment and when it doesn't get treatment it gets worse," Mr Riordan added. | "It is a disease that needs treatment and when it doesn't get treatment it gets worse," Mr Riordan added. |
| To convince the jury to return a verdict of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, the defence must prove Mrs Hill was suffering an abnormality of mind when she killed Naomi. | To convince the jury to return a verdict of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, the defence must prove Mrs Hill was suffering an abnormality of mind when she killed Naomi. |
| "Do we see the workings of a normal mind in the seven or eight hour period following the killing of Naomi?" Mr Riordan said. | "Do we see the workings of a normal mind in the seven or eight hour period following the killing of Naomi?" Mr Riordan said. |
| "Or do we see, everywhere we turn, evidence of an abnormal mind in this case?" | "Or do we see, everywhere we turn, evidence of an abnormal mind in this case?" |
| Responding to the prosecution case, Mr Riordan said: "How did it solve her problems? | Responding to the prosecution case, Mr Riordan said: "How did it solve her problems? |
| "What kind of tortured, abnormal mind comes up with that sort of thing? | "What kind of tortured, abnormal mind comes up with that sort of thing? |
| "Who with a normal mind, who has just resolved her problems, then dresses her dead child up and then drives around stopping to drink wine? | "Who with a normal mind, who has just resolved her problems, then dresses her dead child up and then drives around stopping to drink wine? |
| "What normal mind does that?" | "What normal mind does that?" |
| The Recorder of Chester, Judge Elgan Edwards QC, began summing up. | |
| He said the jury faced a hard decision to make "soft options are not available here," he told them. | |
| He added: "the verdict cannot be anything other than guilty of murder or guilty of manslaughter." | |
| The trial was adjourned until Tuesday. | The trial was adjourned until Tuesday. |