Sentencing of Sheffield woman who killed husband while suffering from dementia is adjourned

The sentencing of an elderly woman who stabbed her husband to death while suffering from dementia has been adjourned to allow for the preparation of additional psychiatric reports.
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Marjorie Grayson pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her 85-year-old husband, Allan, during a hearing held at Sheffield Crown Court last month.

Grayson entered the plea on the grounds of diminished responsibility, after she was found to have been suffering from an impairment of behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia at the time of the killing.

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The 83-year-old was due to be sentenced during a hearing held at Sheffield Crown Court this morning, but Mr Justice Nicklin adjourned sentence until 2pm on Friday, May 24 to allow for further psychiatric reports to be prepared.

Police officers and scenes of crime officers at a property in Orgreave Lane Sheffield, where Allan Grayson, 85, was fatally stabbedPolice officers and scenes of crime officers at a property in Orgreave Lane Sheffield, where Allan Grayson, 85, was fatally stabbed
Police officers and scenes of crime officers at a property in Orgreave Lane Sheffield, where Allan Grayson, 85, was fatally stabbed
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Mr Justice Nicklin told Grayson during last month’s court appearance that he was considering alternatives to immediate custody.

“There is at least the possibility of imposing a sentence that is not immediate custody. I need to know what that looks like,” he said, adding: ““This a very serious offence. There are particular circumstances in your case that mean I must consider carefully what sentence is the correct sentence to impose.

Grayson fatally stabbed her 85-year-old husband, Allan, at their home in Orgreave Lane, Handsworth on September 13 last year.

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She had been due to stand trial accused of her husband’s murder, but prosecutor, Dafydd Enoch QC, said the Crown were able to accept the lesser charge of manslaughter, after receiving medical evidence from psychiatrists.

He said: “The position now is there is a wealth of psychiatric evidence from three different sources which make it clear this woman at the time was suffering from an impairment of behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia,” said Mr Enoch last month.

Commenting on the investigation, he added: “This is a very, very sad case and from the moment of the sad death of Mr Grayson those investigating have been trying to seek answers as to what it was that could have given rise to these tragic events.”

Mr Justice Nicklin remanded Grayson into custody until her sentencing hearing on Friday, May 24.