Carer who snapped and killed her Alzheimer's grandmother is spared jail

Sarah Cochraine, 37, was driven to despair by the daily routine of caring for frail Annie Skirrow, 86, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease.

In a 'fit of pique' she lashed out at the former seamstress, causing her to fall and suffer a fatal brain haemorrhage, a court heard.

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Instead of owning up to police, the civil servant covered up the death, claiming it was an accident.

But she was racked with guilt and, while undergoing counselling for her low self-esteem, eventually confessed to killing Mrs Skirrow.

Yesterday – exactly four years to the day from the pensioner's death – a judge allowed Cochraine to walk free from court after hearing how she had been 'pushed to the brink' by acting as a full-time carer.

Sentencing her to two years' imprisonment, suspended for two years, Mr Justice Irwin said: 'This is an exceptional case. The evidence I have seen speaks of your devotion to your grandmother.

'Anyone who reads this story will realise that you, along with many other carers, are pushed to the brink while caring for their relatives.

'This was an impulsive action. You intended no significant harm on your grandmother. And this would never have been found out had you not volunteered it.'

Carlisle Crown Court heard how Mrs Skirrow moved into her granddaughter's semi-detached home in Blackpool in 2002 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

It is understood that Cochraine, who has never married, decided to take over her care despite Mrs Skirrow's daughter Joan living just a few miles away.

Although the pair had a good relationship, Cochraine found it increasingly hard to cope with her relative, who was moody, incontinent and unsteady on her feet.

Alan Conran QC, prosecuting, told the court that on the morning of April 14, 2004, Cochraine was trying to change Mrs Skirrow's incontinence pad when the pensioner started behaving in a difficult manner.

On the 'spur of the moment' Cochraine pushed Mrs Skirrow, causing her to fall. She banged her head and suffered a brain haemorrhage, which killed her.

Cochraine later told detectives: 'I heard her head hit the floor. There was a loud noise and an exhale of breath.

'I knew something had happened. I never meant to do it. It was just frustration.'

Although the police were called, officers believed Cochraine's claim that she had found her grandmother dead on her bedroom floor when she got up for breakfast.

Cochraine also lied when called to give evidence at a coroner's inquest, which wrongly ruled Mrs Skirrow's death was an accident.

But Detective Inspector Neil Hunter of Lancashire police said her decision to lie took its toll.

Cochraine suffered from low self-esteem, shed several stones in weight and began seeing a counsellor.

It was during one of these therapy sessions last November that she blurted out a confession, telling the trainee counsellor she was a 'murderer'.

'Sarah Cochraine had been racked with guilt and remorse for many, many years,' Mr Hunter added.

'It came out when the counsellor was helping her with bouts of depression.

'The counsellor was giving her a range of options that could assist her and said something to the effect of, "Well, it's not as if you killed anyone, is it?" To which, Sarah Cochraine replied: 'Well, yes I have.'

'That was the trigger and when the counsellor probed a bit further it was referred to the police.'

Detectives arrested Cochraine and she admitted killing Mrs Skirrow.

Janet Ironfield, defending, told the court the care Cochraine provided her grandmother was 'immaculate'.

'She knew her grandmother to be a proud and dignified woman,' the barrister said. 'But her care took its toll. The incident was a spur of rhe moment action with the consequences not foreseen by the defendant. It is terribly sad. She will wear the burden for life.'

Cochraine pleaded guilty to manslaughter and perjury, relating to lies she told at the inquest in June 2004.

Mr Hunter said: 'It's a desperately sad case. The pressure of providing constant care, which was intolerable at times, was one of the reasons why she lost her temper and, in a fit of pique, struck out at her grandmother, causing her to fall.'