JAMIESON: OAP WHO KILLED ‘HOUSEKEEPER’ PARTNER IGNORED MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS

An elderly man strangled his partner after refusing to see a doctor about his deteriorating mental health, the Old Bailey heard today (TUES).

Stanley Jamieson, 83, had a long history of depression and anxiety before he killed 70 year-old Indra Tharmananthan at their home in south London, it is claimed.

The victim, who he described as his ‘tenant’, was found dead on April 13 last year after friends did not hear from her for two days.

Jamieson claimed she had fallen down the stairs but a postmortem revealed she had been strangled, possibly with the flex of an iron.

He was charged with murder but is unable to stand trial because of his mental condition. A jury will now decide whether or not he committed the act.

Prosecutor Michelle Nelson told the jurors: ‘Psychiatrists have concluded he has cognitive difficulties and is unable to participate in the trial or give any instruction to his lawyers. He is not fit to plead.

‘The law now requires your role to be limited to determining whether or not the defendant did the act, that is strangled the deceased.’

The court heard Ms Tharmananthan came to the UK from Sri Lanka in the 1990s after the end of an unhappy marriage.

It is thought she met Jamieson in the mid 1980s and moved into his home at 13 Cromer Road, South Norwood, south London.

Jamieson, who had an English father and a Sri Lankan mother, had been married with four children but the relationship ended after one of his daughters committed suicide in 1983.

According to witnesses, he behaved as though Indra Tharmananthan was subservient to him and referred to her as his tenant or housekeeper.

‘Their relationship was not a loving affectionate one, although there is evidence they were fond of each other,’ said Miss Nelson.

‘He was the dominant, bossy and controlling one, he would shout at her, barking orders even in public.

‘But she was intensely loyal and as his behaviour deteriorated she stayed with him, joining with him in his reclusiveness and hiding the extent of his psychiatric difficulties.’

Jamieson had first been referred to a psychiatrist in 1983 and found to have depression due to ‘delayed bereavement’.

He was detained at a psychiatric unit for two days in 1984 and was given further treatment over the years until 1988.

Jamieson did not see a doctor again until 2007 when he complained of depression and insomnia and was given antidepressants.

His condition gradually got worse and he would panic and threaten to kill himself if anything went wrong with even minor tasks.

Jurors heard the couple’s relationship grew more strained as Ms Tharmananthan began to do everything for  Jamieson.

‘The deceased explained away his behaviour saying he would soon get back to normal,’ said Miss Nelson.

‘Not only had the defendant shown reluctance to take medication but also reluctant to get medical help. He was scared of being sectioned, saying he would rather kill himself.’

The victim was last heard from on the evening of Sunday, April 11, but later attempts by friends to make contact got no reply.

Jamieson told one caller that she was ‘OK’ but could not come to the door because he was not dressed.

On the evening of April 13 the police were called after there was again no answer.

Ms Tharmananthan’s body was found wedged between the armchair and the living room door.

She had injuries consistent with a heavy fall including a fractured neck and rib and bruising to her left arm.

But a pathologist concluded the cause of death was asphyxia and compression of the neck.

DNA from Jamieson was found on the cord of a steam iron and the victim, the court heard.

Following his arrest he was transferred to a psychiatric hospital and told doctors that Ms Tharmananthan had fallen off the stairs.

Two months later he was said to have accepted killing her but refused to give any details, jurors were told.

The trial continues.