A mother has welcomed a decision to send her son to a mental hospital for trying to kill her
Clive Newman put a pillow over his mother's face as she was watching television and stabbed her three times with a kitchen knife.
A court heard how he thought he had to kill his mother to prove he believed in God.
Newman was cleared on an attempted murder charge by reason of his insanity yesterday after a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.
Judge Ben Pearson said he should be detained at a secure hospital without limit of time.
At the same time, the judge praised Newman's mother June and described her as a "remarkable, resilient woman".
After the hearing, 62-year-old Mrs Newman said: "The verdict was the right decision. I am glad he is going to get treatment."
The court heard how her 34-year-old son had been suffering from mental problems for some time.
On January 21 last year, Mrs Newman was watching television when her son came into the living room of their home at Warwick Bailey Close, Mile End, Colchester.
In a statement read to the court, Mrs Newman said her son was "obviously trying to suffocate me".
Newman was arrested and he told police he had to do it to prove himself to God
Published Wednesday January 14, 2004
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