Son gets life for murdering his dad, 91 (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Son gets life for murdering his dad, 91

7:00am Tuesday 16th October 2012 in News

A man murdered his 91-year-old father in growing frustration at his dementia, a Court heard.

Robert Cordingley, 57, smothered his father, George, to death using a pillow wrapped in a bin liner in January this year.

His father, a widower who had been a well-known motorcycle trials rider, was found dead in a bedroom of the house in Bingley Road, Shipley, he had shared with his son for 57 years.

The court was told after killing his father on Sunday, January 15, he fed his cat and had a shower.

He then went to Shipley police station to find it closed, so he approached police officers in the nearby Asda supermarket car park and told them he had murdered his father.

Cordingley, who was his father’s sole carer, was yesterday jailed for life with a minimum of nine years when he appeared at Newcastle Crown Court.

The court was told Cordingley had previously been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and there was evidence that suggested his father had begun to suffer from dementia.

Sentencing him, Mr Justice McCombe said: “This is a very tragic and unusual case. The deceased was 91 years old when he died and he had lived with the defendant for his whole life.

“There is evidence that he began to suffer from dementia but no help was sought. The defendant cared for his father by writing him notes to tell him where his food was and helped him prepare for the day.

“But a growing frustration was present with the defendant which led him to taking the decision to end his father’s life.”

The court heard that Cordingley’s condition led to poor judgment in finding a solution to his situation.

After the case, Detective Inspector Steve Snow, of West Yorkshire Police, said: “It is hard to imagine what must have been going through Robert Cordingley’s mind when he ultimately decided to end his own father’s life.

“The evidence suggested that this was not a sophisticated plan, but one seemingly prompted out of desperation.

“A thorough and professional investigation was undertaken which clearly presented the facts and culminated in a guilty plea.

“Cordingley will now have to reflect on his decision, not only to take another life, but to subsequently ruin his own.”

George Cordingley ran Saltaire Garage for decades and was described as being passionate about cars and motorcycles.

As a rider, he competed in the Scott Trial, the Ilkley Grand National and later the Ilkley Reunion Trial, when he retired from competition.

He was a founder member of the Bradford Vagabonds Motor Cycle Club and when that disbanded he joined the Bradford Motor Club and then moved to the Yorkshire Classic Motor Cycle Club where he was General Secretary up to 2009.