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Who is Chase Kelly? Bodybuilder who choked grandmom, 84, to death after downing vodka and drugs gets life term

Kelly took 10 times the usual amount of prescribed amphetamine before entering Mildred Whitmore's property, claimed a nurse at the hospital

A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the "tragic and senseless" murder of Nuneaton pensioner Mildred Whitmore, 84. Whitmore, a much-loved grandmother, was found dead in the early hours of June 1, 2021, at her home on College Street where she had been punched in the face and strangled. Chase Kelly, who is a bodybuilder, 32, was given a minimum sentence of nine years and nine months at Warwick Crown Court. 

The court heard how Whitmore had been left with a cardigan over her face in the upstairs front bedroom despite her sleeping in the back room. Kelly, of Gun Hill, Arley, who had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, made his way to Whitmore's home after discharging himself from George Eliot Hospital where he refused an ECG for high blood pressure. A nurse at the hospital told the court that Kelly appeared agitated after he took 10 times the usual amount of prescribed amphetamine.

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According to Daily Mail, Whitmore's family said in an impact statement that they will have to live with her death "for the rest of our lives", adding that "no sentence would be enough" after her "safe heaven turned into a place of terror in her final moments." Kelly's doctor had prescribed 70mg of the drug when he claimed he was suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but warned Kelly not to take it with alcohol or other drugs. Prosecutor QC Michelle Healy told the court that at the time of Whitmore's death, Kelly had been taking steroids orally and injecting them and had consumed half a bottle of vodka alongside the high dose of amphetamine. When police tracked Kelly down after Whitmore's body was found, he was in a park, half-dressed and confused. Defending Kelly, QC Andrew Bout said his client experienced a psychotic episode when he climbed on Whitmore's bin and entered her property. 

As per the reports of Coventry Telegraph, Bout said "A side effect of amphetamine is psychosis and the prescribed dose was likely to cause him to become psychotic". However, Judge Mark Wall said imprisonment was the only option for Kelly and that he did not need hospitalization. While passing the sentence, Judge Wall added "Mildred Whitmore was in her bed at home where she should have been safe. She was 84 years old and lived alone. You forced your way into her home, punched her once then killed her. She could not save herself from your attack."

After sentencing, the victim's heartbroken family paid tribute to her and blasted Kelly for causing "terror in her final moments". They said "We have no words to describe how Chase Kelly has caused us to feel. Kelly took the life of our mother Mildred in such a brutal way and that loss is unbearable. Collectively as a family, our hearts are broken at the thought that we will never see her again." They added, "Our mother Mildred always played a big part in our lives, she was always there to offer love, care, and affection to all. Being in her company made us feel very safe and loved, she was the beating heart of our small family. Knowing that our mother was brutally attacked in her own home leaves us devastated as a family." Kelly was also given a 17-month sentence for an assault in Ryton-on-Dunsmore in November 2020 which left a man with a bleed on the brain. Both sentences will run concurrently.