Mother kills son in burning shed

The tragedy happened in the resort of Bowness

A mother who deliberately set fire to a shed in Cumbria killing her young son has been detained indefinitely in a psychiatric hospital.

Mercy Atsu was "tormented" when she torched the outbuilding on 3 November 2001, a court was told.

Aaron Elleray, then just 18 months old, suffered burns to 55% of his small body in the blaze at his father's home in Queen's Square, Bowness in Cumbria.

Atsu, 26, from Ghana, denied murder but admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

I'm sure that you were driven to commit this dreadful act as a result of your mental illness

Judge Peter Openshaw

The toddler underwent skin grafts at Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital, but his condition later deteriorated and he died on 23 March 2002.

Sentencing her at Preston Crown Court, Judge Peter Openshaw, QC, the recorder of Preston, said her plight deserved pity rather than condemnation.

He said: "The evidence makes it quite clear to me that you were suffering from a mental illness with delusions even before you left Ghana.

'Deserves pity'

"I'm sure that you were driven to commit this dreadful act as a result of your mental illness.

"Your plight deserves pity and not condemnation.

"You need treatment and not punishment."

Atsu, who sat beside an interpreter throughout the proceedings, will be detained at Guild Lodge, in Whittingham.

The court heard how she was suffering from schizophrenia.

The judge said he was satisfied she presented a risk of committing further offences if she was she released back into the community at present.

The court heard Atsu met her partner Stephen Elleray, while he was working as a foreman at a mine in Ghana.

'Trance-like state'

She became pregnant in August 1999, but Mr Elleray was not there for the birth of Aaron.

The court was told she went to stay at her local church to recover from malaria, but when she returned she was "different" and seemed to her boyfriend to be in a "trance-like state".

Atsu was later heard chanting and was seen pouring water over the baby's head.

Mr Elleray obtained a passport and visa for his partner and their child and on 25 July 2001 the three travelled to the Lake District.

On the day of the blaze Mr Elleray had an argument with the defendant.

He later found the back door open and went outside to see Atsu standing beside the burning shed wailing and throwing her arms in the air.

He spotted what he believed to be a "bundle of burning rags" but what was in fact Aaron.

Extensive burns

The absence of burns on her body suggested she had not tried to save him.

Medical experts said the extensive burns showed the little boy had been in the flames for at least a minute and possibly several.

Psychiatric reports showed Atsu had an "unstable history" and had never been the same again following her stay at the church in Ghana.

The court heard Atsu, who wanted to marry her partner, was afraid of being left behind in the UK with her son after he secured a job in Angola.