Shropshire Star

Daughter stabbed mother after family home put up for sale, trial hears

A retired nurse was “stabbed to death by her daughter” who was upset after the family home was put up for sale.

Published
Not all of Judy Fox's remains have been found since her death

A murder trial heard the partial remains of grandmother Judith Fox were found in woodland next to the River Severn, off The Lloyds at Coalport, near Ironbridge in July last year.

The jury in the trial of Lucy Fox, of Bernard’s Hill, Bridgnorth, heard she attacked the 65-year-old – a company nurse at the Shropshire Star and Express & Star for 13 years – at her home in Haughton Drive, Shifnal, before dumping the remains in woodland.

Prosecuting barrister Kevin Hegarty QC told Stafford Crown Court: “It seemed that her daughter Lucy was unhappy about the family home being sold and we say took matters into her own hands to stop it. On June 11 last year Lucy Fox contacted the Community Mental Health team and expressed concern about her mother’s mental health. She spoke about her mother moving and said that she was not taking her medication. This was a false report.”

Mr Hegarty told the jury the following day the defendant went to a store in Telford at about 2.20pm and bought two knives. He said at about 4pm she made her way in her blue Ford Ka to Coalport.

That same afternoon Mrs Fox drove her Ford Focus to a shop in Cheapside, Shifnal, leaving at about 5.40pm.

Retired nurse Judy Fox died in July 2020

Mr Hegarty said: “At about 6pm Lucy Fox drove into Haughton Drive and went to her mother’s house, emerging about 20 minutes later. A neighbour assumed that following the latest easing of restrictions she had formed a bubble with her mother Judith. It is the prosecution’s case that while she was in the house, whether during those 20 minutes or later that evening, she killed her mother.”

He said Mrs Fox’s disappearance was discovered following a fire started by Fox, 39, at the front door of the home of her brother Nicholas in Apley Park near Bridgnorth in the early hours of June 14.

Lucy Fox is being tried in her absence and is charged with murder and with arson with intent to endanger life. She has not entered a plea to either charge.

Judge Kristina Montgomery QC previously told the jury that the court had decided that she was “not fit to participate in the trial in any meaningful way”.

The trial continues.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.