A man who carried out a frenzied knife attack on his mum and dad - inflicting around 280 wounds in total as he killed them - has been jailed for life. Lee Tipping will serve a minimum of 27 years for the violent killings.
Friends and family packed the public gallery at Preston Crown Court today to see Tipping, 36, sentenced for two counts of murder. My Justice Goose told him that he did not believe his claims that dad Anthony, 60, was a bully and mum, Patricia, 57, was neglectful.
The judge said they provided the best of care to their mentally ill son. The court had earlier heard that Anthony and Patricia had returned home to Higher Walton, Lancashire, at 11pm on November 19, 2021, when they were met with violence from their son, reports LancsLive.
Tipping stabbed his dad at least 131 times before attacking his mum, who was frail and weighed just six stone, with at least 153 stab and slash wounds. He also threw a kettlebell at Anthony's head.
After killing his parents, Tipping washed the knife and placed it into his father's hand as he lay dead on the bathroom floor. He stepped over his mother's body and fled to Manchester Airport in a bid to leave the country. However, he panicked when he saw armed police and tried to check into a Premier Inn in Manchester city centre, where he was later arrested
In a victim impact statement, Anthony's brother Stuart Tipping, said: "That day changed our world forever; we lost two people at once. 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. 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. The loss of Anthony and Tricia will always be felt and highlighted."
He said Lee was cherished by his parents, who took him back into the family home after he was released from a mental health unit, against the advice of professionals. Handing down the sentence, Mr Justice Goose said the violence used by Tipping was "savage and extreme".
He said he took into account Tipping's mental health condition, but noted he had stopped taking his medication and did not seek help when he started to feel his condition was deteriorating.
"You did not know it would lead you to commit murder," the judge said. Tipping will serve a minimum of 27 years, but it will be for the Parole Board to determine whether he is ever fit to be released.
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."
