The heartbroken family of an 'inseparable' couple who were stabbed to death by their son say they fear they 'will never get to know the truth of what happened'. Lee Tipping, 36, was found guilty by a jury last month of the murders of his parents, teenage sweethearts Tricia Livesey and Anthony Tipping, at the home all three shared.
Tipping - who was deemed fit to be interviewed and was subsequently charged with both murders after initially being detained by police under the Mental Health Act - was jailed for life today. He was ordered to serve a minimum of 27 years before he is eligible for parole.
Tipping stabbed his dad at least 131 times before turning the knife on his frail mum and inflicting at least 153 stab and slash wounds to her six-stone body, a court heard. He then fled to Manchester Airport in an attempt to leave the country but panicked when he saw armed police and later tried to check into a Premier Inn in Manchester city centre, where he was later arrested, reports Lancs Live.
Tricia, 57, and Anthony, 60 - who first met as teenagers - were found dead inside their home in the Lancashire village of Higher Walton, near Preston, in November last year. A post-mortem examination showed they both died from multiple stab wounds.
In a moving statement issued by police after today's sentencing hearing at Preston Crown Court, the couple's family hit out at 'lies' Tipping told in court about his parents - claims that were rejected by the sentencing judge who said they provided nothing but the best of care for him after he had spent periods as an inpatient at a mental health unit.
And Mr Justice Goose referenced 'savage and extreme' violence following an argument over a broken door.
In the statement, the couple's family said dad Anthony 'loved his son and put him on a pedestal all his life'.
To his mum, Tricia, Tipping was 'her baby, her world', they added, saying she 'put up with behaviour from Lee that no other mother would do'. "That day changed our world forever; we lost two people at once," said the family as Tipping began his sentence.
"The loss of Tricia and Anthony has not been like a normal bereavement. We never got to say goodbye, and we will never get to know the truth of what happened that night.
"The weeks and months that followed Tricia and Anthony's death, we didn't want to get up. Our nightmare was real and it got worse as when the shock had subsided, the reality set in. Since their deaths, how Tricia and Anthony died has been at the forefront of our minds, constantly replaying the news, wondering how it could have happened, wanting to know that they didn't suffer.
"Tricia and Anthony have been together since they were teenagers; they loved each other deeply and were inseparable. Not only has this broken our family but our lives will never be the same again. We live in a horrid nightmare which no one would think could ever happen to them.
"Family holidays like Christmas and birthdays will never be the same. We would always gather as a family.
"One of the hardest parts of court has been listening to the lies that Lee has told. Anthony was not a bully, he loved his son and put him on a pedestal all his life. He would not have someone say a bad word about Lee. Anthony was the core of our family, our go-to person.
"Everyone went to him for advice, or help. He did everything for our families and would drop what he was doing to help, whether you were a family member, friend, neighbour or even Lee. Likewise, the portrait that Lee has painted of his mother, Tricia, could not be further from the truth.
"Lee would have strangers believing that his mother neglected him; Tricia loved Lee, he was her baby, her world. Tricia had the patience of a saint, she put up with behaviour from Lee that no other mother would do; they both had high hopes for their only son.
"Tricia and Anthony should have been able to retire and be happy, enjoy their house, their family and friends, they should have been able to enjoy their lives together. But due to the actions of Lee, they are not here, their happy retirement has been taken from them.
"The loss of Tricia and Anthony has left a gaping hole in our hearts."
Police were called at 1.40pm on November 20 last year to a concern for the safety of the occupants of the property in Cann Bridge Street, Higher Walton. Officers forced entry and sadly found the bodies.
In a statement, Lancashire Police said: "Lee Tipping was arrested on suspicion of murder and was subsequently detained under the Mental Health Act. After a full review he was deemed fit for interview and after consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service he was charged with both murders.
"Tipping admitted to killing his parents but denied murder, claiming self-defence and loss of control against his father and loss of control in relation to the death of his mother. Following a four-week trial, a jury rejected his defence and found Tipping guilty of two counts of murder."
Detective Chief Inspector Jill Johnston, of the Force Major Investigation Team, said: "I welcome the life sentence handed down to Lee Tipping by the courts, which reflects the seriousness of his offending and was aggravated by his lack of remorse.
"Although no sentence can and will never make up for the horrific, sustained and violent attack Lee subjected his parents to, I hope that Tricia and Anthony’s families and friends get some sense of closure knowing that this case has now come to a conclusion. They have remained incredibly dignified throughout this investigation and my thoughts remain with them at this very difficult time."
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