A son stabbed his mum and dad 284 times in their home before attempting to flee the country.
Lee Tipping, 36, claimed he was acting in self defence when he stabbed his dad, Anthony, 131 times in his chest and eyes. He then lost control and turned the blade on his mum, Patricia Livesley, stabbing her 153 times.
After careful deliberation the 12 jury members dismissed Tipping's claims in Preston Crown Court and found he was the aggressor in the bloody frenzy at the house in Cann Bridge Street, Preston, on November 19, 2021. He used a kettlebell to inflict injuries on Anthony, 60, and used an aerosol and lighter to launch a flamethrower at his face, LancsLive reports.
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Neighbours heard Patricia, 56, screaming "Oh no Lee, what have you done?" at around midnight. But as she tried to stand in his way, the tiny six-stone woman, who had recently recovered from a life threatening illness, became Tipping's next target.
After killing his parents, the defendant told the jury he sat at the top of the stairs with his head in his hands, thinking "why has this happened to me?". He then drove to Liverpool John Lennon Airport in a bid to flee the country, before returning to the house to collect his laptop, stepping straight past his mum's body on the landing.
At 1pm on November 20, members of Patricia's family were concerned when she did not turn up for her usual Saturday lunch date with her mum. When they could not contact Patricia, Anthony or Lee by telephone, they called the police who found the bodies in the upstairs of the pristine home.
By this time Tipping was on his way to Manchester Airport and had booked a flight to Sweden but he lost his nerve when he saw police at the airport and caught a taxi to a Premier Inn in Manchester City Centre where he was arrested.
He told police: "I was just standing up to him. He came at me with a knife."
The jury dismissed his account he was acting in self defence and found him unanimously guilty of the murder of Anthony Tipping. They also dismissed his account his "head went" and he lost control, killing his parents in a frenzy after "years of abuse" from his father.
As the foreman delivered guilty verdicts to two counts of murder, gasps and shouts of "yes" could be heard from the packed public gallery. Tipping showed no emotion as the verdicts were delivered however as he was led away to the cells, he turned to the public gallery and shouted: "You've ruined my life." He will be sentenced on July 28.
Jim Mowbray, Senior Crown Prosecutor with CPS North West said: “Lee Tipping carried out a violent and brutal attack on both his parents, intending to kill them both. He showed them no mercy whilst he stabbed them hundreds of times. He then attempted to leave the country and when arrested, he provided a fabricated account in an attempt to absolve himself of responsibility for his actions.
“The CPS worked with Lancashire police to put a strong case before the jury, including witness testimony, forensic evidence, cell site analysis to show Lee Tipping's movements before, during and after the murders and psychiatric reports to refute the various claims that he had put forward to explain his actions. After carefully considering the overwhelming evidence against him the jury convicted him of both murders.
“I hope following today’s verdicts, Anthony and Patricia’s family and friends can begin to move on with their lives knowing justice has been done. My thoughts are with them at this time.”
Det Chief Insp Jill Johnston, of the Force Major Investigation Team, said: “This is an utterly tragic case that saw the very two people who loved and cared for Lee Tipping more than anyone else in the world, having had their lives taken away by him. Patricia and Anthony devoted their lives to their son and they did everything for him. Despite this Lee subjected them both to the most horrific, sustained and violent attack last year, that resulted in their deaths.
“Lee has shown no remorse for his actions and we know that he made extensive efforts to flee the country prior to his arrest in Manchester on the day after the murders. He has maintained self-defence and loss of control as the reason behind the killings, failing to accept any personal responsibility for the consequences of his ferocious attacks. Lee has subjected the families of both Tricia and Anthony to a four-week trial, prolonging the upset and heart felt grief that has rippled through the close community in which they had lived for all of their lives.
“Sadly, this verdict today provides no relief from the tragic loss that Tricia and Anthony’s families and friends have suffered. They have remained incredibly dignified throughout this investigation and my thoughts remain with them at this incredibly difficult time.”
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