A MAN who admitted the manslaughter of his 100 year old mother has today (Monday) been sentenced to six years imprisonment.

The Crown Prosecution Service’s London homicide lawyer Aisling Hosein said: “Michael Fitzgibbon was originally charged with murder.

“He was seen by two psychiatrists who both concluded that at the time of the offence he was suffering from an abnormality of mind such that he was not fully responsibly for his actions.

“As a result of the expert evidence, the prosecution, after careful consideration, accepted his plea to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

“Hannah Fitzgibbon’s family was informed of the decision and the reasons for it.

“By all accounts, Hannah Fitzgibbon was a remarkable lady, who at 100 years old, was much loved and respected by her family and the local community.

“I would like to express my condolences to her family for their tragic loss.”

Fitzgibbon killed his mother Hannah on 24 February 2010 at their home in Hainton Close, Stepney.

Michael Fitzgibbon, 62, had been living with his mother since 2005 and caring for her although she was in relatively good health at the time of her death.

Mrs Fitzgibbon, who was born in August 1909, had a hip replacement operation in 2008 and from then on had walked with a Zimmer frame and had become increasingly dependent on her son.

Fitzgibbon himself had been suffering ill health and it would seem that his health had been deteriorating rather more quickly than that of his mother. He did not see a doctor but after the incident he was diagnosed with the first stages of Parkinson’s disease.

Arond 9.24am on the morning of 24 February 2010 Michael Fitzgibbon was seen on CCTV visiting a local shop to get milk and a newspaper.

At 9.45am he rang his brother to say that he had just ‘gone mad’ and had stabbed his mother. He then called the police, who together with the ambulance service arrived a few minutes later. Hannah Fitzgibbon was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post mortem revealed she died from a single stab wound which had passed through the right lung and into her heart.