A 93-year old woman living in a care home was attacked to death by a mentally ill neighbor while she was recovering from Covid.
Eileen Dean was beaten repeatedly in her bedroom at Fieldside in Catford, south London on January 3 by Alexander Rawson, 63, and suffered severe injuries to her face, head and upper body.
The Old Bailey heard how Rawson phoned 999 in a state of distress and agitation after killing Mrs Dean, who suffered from dementia.
He told the operator: ‘I think somebody’s been killed and I don’t know what’s happening. I believe I may have done something wrong.
Mrs Dean had suffered multiple facial fractures and a traumatic brain injury and was pronounced dead at the hospital. Rawson’s signature was found on a metal walking stick made of blood that was kept in her bedroom.
Alexander Rawson, right, beat Eileen Dean repeatedly in her Catford bedroom on January 3. She also suffered severe injuries to her head, face, and upper body.
On January 5, 2021, officers stopped a Catford, south London carehome.
Mrs Dean was recovering from Covid and was self-isolating her room in the time of the attack. Staff described her as calm, sweet, and quiet. She had been living at the care home for over a year.
Jurors were told that despite her age, she was independent. She only needed support for her personal care.
Rawson moved into the bedroom adjacent to his in December 2013. He had previously been held under the Mental Health Act, and was an in-patient in two south London hospitals since last August.
He was initially charged with Mrs Dean’s murder, but was later deemed ineligible to stand trial.
Forensics outside the Catford care home in south London in January 2021
Rawson will be sent to the Old Bailey on 20 December.
Chris Wood, Scotland Yard Detective Chief Inspector, said that Eileen was a completely defenseless woman whose entire life was taken away in a horrible manner.
“She had lost her husband nearly 30 years ago and had already gone through a lot. However, she was described as a calm and quiet woman by all who knew.