Burglar beat 'dearly loved' grandmother, 86, to death after breaking into home

29 January 2024 , 21:49

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Beryl Purdy was beaten to death (Image: Avon and Somerset Constabulary /)

A man who broke into the home of a much-loved 86-year-old churchwarden and savagely beat her to death as been found guilty of manslaughter.

David Parish, who attempted a burglary at his victim's home, denied murder and instead opted to confess to manslaughter of Beryl Purdy, by reason of diminished responsibility. The criminal made an appearance at Bristol Crown Court on January 29 via video link and was informed that the crown had deemed the basis of his plea acceptable. The 36-year-old will now have to wait until his sentencing date of March 1 to discover his fate.

The harrowing assault led to Beryl's tragic passing. Known to her friends as Bez, the pensioner sadly passed away on Monday, March 27, near her home in Broomfield, near Bridgewater, Somerset, as a result of her serious injuries. The horrific circumstances left the family in tatters, with one person describing their loved one as a 'dearly loved wife, mother and granny'. Overwhelmed with sadness, her nearest and dearest struggled to deal with the heartbreaking situation, but ultimately came together to give Beryl an amazing send-off.

David Parish pleaded guilty to manslaughter (Daniel Jae Webb / SWNS)

Parish, who has no fixed address, initially evaded prison time, having been sectioned under the Mental Health Act. However, it was eventually decided that he'd be released to face charges. The criminal said very little at the short hearing, talking only to confirm his name and plea. Due to his psychological condition, the result of the trial hung in the balance. Ultimately, prosecutors confirmed that psychiatric reports commissioned by the defence and the crown had agreed that due to his mental state, a plea of manslaughter was acceptable.

Speaking at the time of the incident, Beryl's loved ones said in a statement: "As a family, we are devastated to have lost a dearly loved wife, mother and granny. Bez was a caring person who would help anyone in need and was very much part of the village, being a churchwarden for 20 years."

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"We will miss her very much, and we are all struggling to understand why this happened to such a lovely person." Parish will remain in custody until the day of his sentencing.

James Sweetnam