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Addict jailed over mother murder | Addict jailed over mother murder |
(about 8 hours later) | |
A crack cocaine addict who admitted killing his mother and using her money to buy drugs has been jailed for life. | A crack cocaine addict who admitted killing his mother and using her money to buy drugs has been jailed for life. |
Amato Wright, 39, hit his mother Maria, 71, more than 40 times with a hammer and strangled her at their home in Kentish Town, north London, in 2006. | Amato Wright, 39, hit his mother Maria, 71, more than 40 times with a hammer and strangled her at their home in Kentish Town, north London, in 2006. |
The court heard he tortured her to obtain her bank cards' PIN numbers so he could plunder her casino winnings. | The court heard he tortured her to obtain her bank cards' PIN numbers so he could plunder her casino winnings. |
An Old Bailey judge ordered Wright, who earlier admitted a charge of murder, to serve a minimum of 28 years in prison. | An Old Bailey judge ordered Wright, who earlier admitted a charge of murder, to serve a minimum of 28 years in prison. |
Casino win | Casino win |
Judge Giles Forrester said: "It is difficult to understand how anyone could begin to contemplate doing such a thing to their own mother, in her own bedroom in her bed clothing during the night. | Judge Giles Forrester said: "It is difficult to understand how anyone could begin to contemplate doing such a thing to their own mother, in her own bedroom in her bed clothing during the night. |
"What happened on this night is that he wanted more cocaine and, of course, cocaine costs money. | "What happened on this night is that he wanted more cocaine and, of course, cocaine costs money. |
"He decided to use his mother's cards. His mother must have disapproved and resisted and the defendant decided she was not going to stand in his way." | "He decided to use his mother's cards. His mother must have disapproved and resisted and the defendant decided she was not going to stand in his way." |
The court heard that earlier that week Mrs Wright had won £2,000 at a casino and had put the money in the bank. | The court heard that earlier that week Mrs Wright had won £2,000 at a casino and had put the money in the bank. |
Perfect mother | Perfect mother |
After the killing Wright, an unemployed telephone engineer who had a £400-a-day crack cocaine habit, was caught on CCTV using his mother's card to withdraw £200 and buying drugs. | After the killing Wright, an unemployed telephone engineer who had a £400-a-day crack cocaine habit, was caught on CCTV using his mother's card to withdraw £200 and buying drugs. |
The morning after the killing he walked into a police station and said: "I have just killed my mother." | The morning after the killing he walked into a police station and said: "I have just killed my mother." |
Wright's sister, Anna Oliver, told police her mother had worked hard to bring up three children before retiring from her job in a West End shop. | |
She said: "She lived for her family. We never wanted for anything. She was the epitome of the perfect mother." | She said: "She lived for her family. We never wanted for anything. She was the epitome of the perfect mother." |
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