Son's row with mother over Christmas dinner caused her death, manslaughter trial hears

Mark Jennens told a 999 operator he had a ‘temporary snap’ during the argument with his 78-year-old mother Hazel over potatoes at their home in Brierley Hill.

According to a 999 transcript read out at start of a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court, he said: “After being told I’m stupid for trying to sort Christmas dinner out I just lost it and went to chuck her out of the door.”

Ms Jennens, who had osteoporosis and lung cancer, suffered a fractured hip from the fall in Brierley Hill on Christmas Eve 2015, Ms Rachel Brand QC, prosecuting, said.

After undergoing surgery at Russells Hall Hospital, she began making a recovery, but on January 18 she fell unwell and died two days later at the hospital from bronchopneumonia.

Jennens, 40, denies his mother’s manslaughter.

Ms Brand told the jury: “They have an argument and in the course of it he pushes or throws her to the floor."

She added: “A fractured hip led to her being in hospital, it was that which caused the need for her to have surgery, to the risk of respiratory problems, bronchopneumonia which led to her death. A cascade of events all led from a fractured hip which she suffered at her son’s hands.”

The jury heard how Jennens had been the sole carer for his mother for 10 years at their home in Sorrell Walk.

Summing up how he described the incident in police interview, Ms Brand said: “They argued about potatoes. He got angry, threw a writing pad across the table. He said ‘that is the last time you speak to me like that’. She responded to that by leaning forward and gritting her teeth. He panicked, went to the arm chair and picked her up and frogmarched her to the door to get her away from him.

"His intention was to put her outside and slam the door. He held her arms, then she was on the floor.”

The jury heard that Jennens had been taking anti-depressants at the time of the incident.

The trial continues.