Sleepwalker cleared of bid to kill mother

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

A judge directed a jury to acquit Donna Sheppard-Saunders of attempted murder after saying there was insufficient evidence on the first day of her trial.

It was alleged that the 33-year-old tried to kill her 54-year-old mother Pamela Sheppard in the bedroom they shared in Ranville Close, Petworth, West Sussex, on 15 September last year.

Lewes crown court heard that Ms Sheppard-Saunders had a history of sleepwalking which her mother said had been a side effect of leukaemia treatment she underwent as a child.

Prosecutor Angela Morris told jurors that Mrs Sheppard went to bed but woke about an hour later feeling something covering her face.

Ms Morris said: "At first she thought she was having a nightmare and then she managed to pull something away from her face and she realised that her daughter was holding a pillow over her face.

"Mrs Sheppard struggled to get the pillow away from her face that this defendant held there for approximately 30 seconds.

"Eventually Mrs Sheppard managed to push the defendant away and she ran out of the room."

Ms Morris said Ms Sheppard-Saunders followed her mother out of the bedroom, apologising to her for her actions and saying she could not recollect what she had done.

She mentioned to her mother that she tried to stop her snoring. Ms Sheppard-Saunders dialled 999 herself, telling the operator: "I didn't know what I was doing til Mum woke me up."

Ms Sheppard-Saunders, who was described as "childlike", was arrested and taken to Chichester police station. In a statement later she told police of her history of sleepwalking.

Her father, Kenneth Sheppard, told the court in a statement that she suffered from sleepwalking as a child and he would sometimes find her in the lavatory or on the landing after having put her to bed.

"I don't remember her hurting herself while sleepwalking. I put it down to the effects of the leukaemia she suffered from," he said in his statement.

During the 999 call, Ms Sheppard-Saunders said she had not been drinking but was on medication, including anti-depressants and blood pressure tablets.

In her statement, she said that she recalled going off to sleep and the next memory was of her mother shouting and slapping her.