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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Life term for dressmaker's killer | Life term for dressmaker's killer |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A woman has been jailed for life for murdering her 100-year-old aunt in a dispute over her inheritance. | A woman has been jailed for life for murdering her 100-year-old aunt in a dispute over her inheritance. |
| Violet Durling died in her flat in Newham, east London, in February 2006 when Susan Turner started a fire in the family shop below. | Violet Durling died in her flat in Newham, east London, in February 2006 when Susan Turner started a fire in the family shop below. |
| Ms Durling, a former royal dressmaker, was overcome by smoke from the blaze. | Ms Durling, a former royal dressmaker, was overcome by smoke from the blaze. |
| Turner, 46, from Barkingside, east London, was told at the Old Bailey that she would serve a minimum of 20 years for the killing. | Turner, 46, from Barkingside, east London, was told at the Old Bailey that she would serve a minimum of 20 years for the killing. |
| She loved you, indeed you were her favourite amongst her younger relatives Judge John Milford | |
| The mother-of-two was adopted and felt "badly treated financially" by the rest of the family, the court heard. | |
| A month before Ms Durling's death, Turner had unsuccessfully tried to have her aunt's will changed to make her the sole heir to her £300,000 property, the Old Bailey heard. | |
| This would have cut out her brother and sister and her own daughters. | |
| During the arson attack, Turner was so determined that when the fire went out she lit another one on the stairs leading to the flat to stop her aunt from escaping. | |
| Susan Turner fled to Amsterdam after the killing, jurors heard | Susan Turner fled to Amsterdam after the killing, jurors heard |
| But her partial DNA profile was found on a blue bottle top, from an accelerant container which was found at the scene. | |
| Judge John Milford said: "She loved you, indeed you were her favourite amongst her younger relatives. There can be no doubt that you intended to kill her. | |
| "You bitterly resented your two siblings, both thoroughly decent people." | |
| Miss Durling was partially deaf, senile and was incapable of looking after herself. | |
| She was just weeks away from her 101st birthday when she was murdered. | She was just weeks away from her 101st birthday when she was murdered. |
| During her career, she had worked for the Queen's dressmaker Norman Hartnell and fitted the late Queen Mother's wedding dress. | During her career, she had worked for the Queen's dressmaker Norman Hartnell and fitted the late Queen Mother's wedding dress. |
| Turner denied murder and arson with intent to endanger life. | Turner denied murder and arson with intent to endanger life. |
| The case was a retrial after the first jury could not agree. | The case was a retrial after the first jury could not agree. |