A man described in court as an "extreme hoarder" who left his sister to die leaving her to be found in squalor and weighing four stone has been jailed.
Julie Burdett, 61, was found dead after paramedics were called to the home in Leicester in January 2019 by her father Cecil Burdett, 91.
At the time of her death, she weighed four and a half stone with several large bedsores on her body which had become infected and exposed her bones.
Brother Philip Burdett, 59, and Cecil Burdett, 93, were charged with gross negligence manslaughter and causing/allowing the death of a vulnerable person in connection with Julie's death.
Earlier this year, a jury found Philip Burdett was found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter and Cecil Burdett was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable person.
The jury at Leicester Crown Court found Cecil Burdett not guilty of the manslaughter charge. The causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable person charge against Philip Burdett has been discontinued.
Today, a judge sentenced Philip Burdett to three years in prison while Cecil Burdett avoided jail and was given a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years.
During the trial, the court heard that Julie suffered from ill health and endured mobility issues for some time and that her brother was receiving an allowance as her carer, LeicestershireLive reports.
Julie's brother was her main carer and her father also helped with daily care.
The prosecutor told the jury that: "The defendants left her immobile in her bedroom. This meant Julie couldn't feed herself, go to the toilet, clean herself or take her medication."
He said she was found saturated in her own bodily fluids in a "cramped, dirty space". The prosecutor said the smell was "overpowering" and "virtually unendurable".
He added: "Julie had suffered terrible injuries caused by being left immobile and unclean."
A pathologist found 25 separate sites of injury, allegedly caused by neglect, to her body, face, back, chest, legs and feet.
An expert in nursing care for 40 years described the pressure injuries as the most severe she had ever seen, prosecutors said during the trial.
An investigation into her death found that Julie's health started to decline in early December 2018.
Both men told police that had stopped eating and drinking and due to her mobility issues, she spent the last two weeks of her life laying on her bedroom floor unable to get up.
A post-mortem examination later confirmed that she died as a result of infection.
On sentencing, Detective Superintendent Chris Baker, who was the Senior Investigating Officer, said: “This case was a tragedy for the family. It was not about punishment, it was about upholding the rights of a person to life and dignity.
“I cannot begin to imagine the pain that Julie Burdett suffered in the last weeks of her life. No living being should endure that.
"The terrible events heard by the jury during the course of the trial and the convictions of Philip and Cecil Burdett serve as a reminder to us all of our legal duty to treat those we love or care for with decency, compassion and humanity. I hope that is Julie’s legacy.”
He added: “I would like to pay tribute to DC Adrian Davies, the CPS and prosecuting counsel Tim Cray QC and Kathryn Arnot Drummond for their expertise and professionalism throughout the investigation and proceedings.”
