Army vet and mum murdered his gran in a ‘misguided belief’ it was an ‘act of mercy’
Barry Rogers, 33, and Penelope John, 50, gave former nurse Betty Guy, 84, pills and whisky before smothering her in 2011
AN ex-soldier and his mum murdered his gran in the “misguided belief” it was an “act of mercy”, a judge told a court.
Medics believed she died of natural causes. But the duo came under suspicion after it emerged that Rogers told three exes he killed his nan.
An ex-girlfriend of former the army lance corporal Rogers told cops he had confessed to her about being responsible for his gran's death.
Police bugged John's home after the pair were bailed, and caught Rogers saying "But I did it" when his mum mentioned her murder arrest.
He added: "No, honestly, you have got nothing to worry about, it's me that's done the act.
"There's nothing to worry about. Nothing to worry about. Keep our story the same."
The court heard John rang 999 to say her mother had been suffering with bowel and stomach cancer and had died in bed.
But medical records showed Mrs Guy was never diagnosed with cancer, and a doctor John claimed had told her Mrs Guy was terminally ill said the conversation never took place.
No postmortem was carried out on Mrs Guy, and her daughter chose to have her body cremated days after her death.
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John said her relationship with her mother had been "amazing" and had her ashes scattered in her garden which she visited every day.
Swansea crown court heard that Mrs Guy, of Pembrokeshire, had been unwell but was neither bedbound nor in unbearable pain.
Judge Mr Justice Lewis jailed Rogers and John each for a minimum of 11 years yesterday after they were convicted at trial.