A doctor stabbed his mum to death after facing eviction from the family home before stopping his dad’s desperate efforts to save her, a court heard.
Mentally ill Andrew Nisbet, 41, fatally wounded Pamela Nisbet, 68, in the neck following a dispute about being allowed to stay in an annex.
He then fought with his dad who was trying to get into the kitchen to save the former Centenier and special-needs teacher from Jersey, who was later pronounced dead at the scene.
The defendant denied murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter to Pamela, who was also an honorary police officer, on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
He has now been ordered to remain at a secure treatment facility in the UK until he is fit to be released.
He appeared before the Superior Number of the Jersey Royal Court for sentencing on Wednesday which heard how the tragedy unfolded at the property in St Peter on 6 August last year.
Crown Advocate Matthew Maletroit said Nisbet returned from Scotland to Jersey with his family in November 2017 and moved into an annex in his parent’s home.
Pamela and her husband saw it as a short-term solution, but he wanted to built a large separate home on the site, the court heard.
Advocate Maletroit told the court: “Mr and Mrs Nisbet did not consider the annex to be a long-term accommodation for the defendant and his family, and did not agree to all of the alterations he was seeking.”
The court then heard that Nisbet then become “fixated” on the idea that he must stay and his mental health continued to deteriorate.
Eviction proceedings were started and a summons was served to their son on 2 August last year.
A meeting was set up to discuss the eviction in the kitchen of the man house which saw the defendant’s partner storm out after 20 minutes.
Three minutes later, Mr Nisbet, who was sat in a room next door, heard a scream and ran in to find his wife bleeding from her neck on the floor.
She was still breathing but the defendant blocked his dad from going to her aid, the court heard.
The father and son struggled for a few minutes before Mr Nisbet eventually forced his out.
Police arrived and arrested Nisbet in the annex but paramedics were unable to save his victim.
It read: “I do not remember the exact moments of August 2019 but I do not have any doubt that my physical self did these things and caused this great loss to both myself and the rest of my family. I am so sorry for the immense hurt that this has caused.”
After his arrest Nisbit was transferred to Brockfield House – a secure mental health facility in Essex – where he has remained ever since.
Speaking via video link, Dr Ian Cumming, a consultant forensic psychiatrist, told the court that Nisbet fulfilled the criteria of having autistic spectrum disorder and this would have significantly impaired the defendant’s mental responsibility when he committed the offence. This would have prevented him from considering the long-term consequences of his actions.
He added that Nisbet’s time would best be served within a secure facility where he could be treated rather than within prison.
Delivering the sentence, the Bailiff Timothy Le Cocq, made Nisbet subject to a treatment order – detaining him at a secure mental health facility in the UK until such time the court deems that he is safe to be released.
He has also been made subject to a restraining order to not contact or go near his family.
Speaking after the case, Detective Inspector Christina Maclennan, head of the Serious Crime Unit at the States police, said, ‘This is an extremely tragic case that has significantly impacted both the family and the community and our thoughts are foremost with Pamela’s family.’
A statement was also issued by the the Nisbet family, which read: “We love and miss Pam as a wife, mum and granny.
“Pam was a much loved Jersey resident who contributed to the island throughout her life. This was a family tragedy and we kindly request privacy during this difficult time.”
The death of Pamela sent shockwaves through the local community.
Mrs Nisbet served as a Centenier and later as a lay-member of the Youth Court Panel between 1996 and 2005. More recently she sat as a lay-member on the Law Society of Jersey’s Disciplinary Panel between 2007 and 2017.
Parish Constable Richard Vibert said: “She was never afraid of telling us what she thought because she loved her parish. I respected her for that.
“She was tenacious but a lovely, lovely lady who will be sorely missed.”
Former Home Affairs Minister Ian Le Marquand said Mrs Nisbet was a committed member of the Youth Panel while he was the Island’s Magistrate.
He added: “She was a very individual person and had her own style of doing things but she was a much-valued member of the panel. It was a sad day when we lost her services.”
Neville Benbow, chief executive of the Law Society of Jersey, added: “‘Pam Nisbet was a lovely lady and a true professional who served as a lay member of the law society disciplinary panel for ten years.
“She made a substantial contribution to the community, including as a member of the honorary police and had a keen eye for justice. She will be sadly missed and we express our thoughts and prayers to her family at this tragic and difficult time.”
ENDS