Mother weeps as she is finally cleared of killing her son by syringing morphine into his mouth

Marianne Willoughby, 50, was charged with manslaughter by an unlawful act. She was accused of killing her son, 25-year-old Christopher Rowley-Goodchild, after allegedly squirting some of her prescribed oramorph (liquid morphine) into his mouth.

The verdicts came back at about midday today (Friday) at Guildford Crown Court four hours and 29 minutes after the jury retired.

Miss Willoughby wept into her hands as the verdict was delivered, clearing her of manslaughter - which could have seen her jailed over her son's death. 

Michael Carter, her nephew, speaking after the verdict was given, said: "As a family we all feel extremely relieved. We have stuck by her all along and knew she was innocent."

He added: "We're just glad this can be put to rest and she can get on with the grieving process and Chris can be put to rest in peace."

The manslaughter trial began on Monday, February 16, and saw Miss Willoughby, 50, give evidence to say she did not directly give her 25-year-old son, Christopher Rowley-Goodchild, morphine via a syringe, which ultimately killed him.

His friend, Kirk Ugle, now 25, was there during the drinking session at the family home in Thames Street, Weybridge, on June 23, 2013, and he gave evidence to say Miss Willoughby suggested the taking of her prescribed oramorph (liquid morphine) and squirted some of the 10ml shots into his and Mr Rowley-Goodchild's mouths.

Miss Willoughby accepted she had brought the oramorph she had been prescribed following a knee operation to her son's bedroom, but denied squirting it into her son's mouth and later telling a paramedic she did it "for a laugh".

When she gave evidence earlier in the week, Graham Trembath QC, asked Miss Willoughby to describe her relationship with her son.

She said it was: "Amazing. Perfect. I loved him, he loved me. No matter where we were in the country. If I'd gone away to Yorkshire to stay with a friend or Essex to be with family we spoke several times a day."

John O'Higgins, for the prosecution, said in his closing argument yesterday: "There is no dispute what killed him. What killed him was the addition of shots of morphine when he had been drinking heavily."

Mr Trembath asked the jury before they were sent out if any of them could imagine what it must feel like to be Miss Willoughy and implored them "not to give Marianne Willoughby that label that she is guilty of manslaughter by unlawfully killing her own son".

Yesterday both prosecution and defence had implored the jury to be certain of the truth before it retired, as the defence argued Miss Willoughby did not administer fatal shots of morphine to her son, while the prosecution argues she did exactly that.

Miss Willoughby said it was her son who suggested getting the drug, but Mr Ugle said it was Miss Willoughby's idea.

Mr O'Higgins had disputed Miss Willoughby was too overwhelmed to deny her son the medication, making reference to the 90 minutes she was cross examined for, and said she did not appear to be overwhelmed then.

He said: "Of course we must take into account what she has been through, but is her account the truth about how Christopher died or is it a means of her avoiding responsibility for what happened?"

As he finished his closing argument in her defence, Mr Trembath reminded jurors they needed to be sure of the truth of Mr Ugle's evidence and said to the jury: "I just urge you ladies and gentlemen not to give Marianne Willoughby that label that she is guilty of manslaughter by unlawfully killing her own son."

Judge Christopher Critchlow spoke of the tragedy of the case, referenced her good character, and said: "He should not have been given it. But she's not being tried for giving it to him. She's not being tried for failing to pay any attention to any warning in the bottle."

He reminded the jury the importance of their decision on what the truth was.

He said: "Nobody listening to the 999 call couldn't fail to be moved by the distress of the defendant realising something was very seriously wrong with her son.

"And now she's on trial and you have to decide whether you are sure she did an unlawful act.

"Namely she did not just pass it to him but she actually depressed the plunger on the syringe so that 10ml, one dose, went into him."