Stewart Irwin, 56, was convicted by a jury at Carlisle Crown Court of the manslaughter of his 74-year-old mother, Veronica Irwin. Paramedics discovered Veronica Irwin unconscious, semi-naked, and malnourished on the bathroom floor of their shared flat on July 28, 2023.
During the trial, the court heard that Veronica Irwin had suffered a fall in the bathroom, which was the only bathroom in the small flat she shared with her son. Prosecutor Phil Barnes KC stated that Irwin must have been stepping over his mother for at least two weeks to access the toilet or brush his teeth. Barnes argued that had she been moved or received medical attention sooner, she undoubtedly would have survived.
Irwin contacted emergency services, reporting that his mother's skin had started to turn blue, that she had been refusing help, and described her as a "stubborn old woman." The jury reached a unanimous guilty verdict. Irwin was granted bail and is scheduled for sentencing on September 11.