‘Mercy-killing’ mother loses appeal

A DEVOTED mother who injected her brain-damaged son with a fatal dose of heroin as an act of mercy, believing he was suffering a painful “living death”, failed to overturn her murder conviction.

Ruling in what is believed to be the first murder involving a “mercy killing” to reach the Court of Appeal, three judges in London rejected the challenge brought by Frances Inglis, 58, of Dagenham, east London, who is serving a life sentence.

But the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, sitting with Mr Justice Irwin and Mr Justice Holroyde – who declared that her conviction appeal was “not arguable” – reduced the minimum term she must spend behind bars before becoming eligible to apply for parole from nine years to five.