A convicted drug dealer, Jason Phinn, 35, has been cleared of murder after fatally attacking his mother, Christie Eugene, 64, in their Brixton home following her loud humming. On September 19, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison at Croydon Crown Court after the jury found him guilty of manslaughter.
Phinn had a history of conflict with his mother, leading to a 12-month restraining order in 2021. After inflicting injuries on her, he called 999, claiming he had strangled her. However, the operator did not send an ambulance or notify the police, as Christie, still conscious, stated she was okay.
When Phinn called again to request police assistance, he expressed concerns about possibly breaking his mother’s neck but later told officers he had “blacked out” and couldn’t recall causing the fatal bleed to her brain. During the trial, jurors determined they could not definitively conclude that he intended to kill her or cause serious harm, which is required for a murder charge.
The court heard that police were called to Strathleven Road shortly after 8 a.m. on Thursday, November 2, 2023, where they found Jason Phinn intoxicated and smoking a joint with his severely injured mother, Christie, inside the home. Christie was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition, suffering from a split lip, bruising inside her cheek, and blunt force trauma to the back of her head. She passed away just after 10 p.m. that same day, leading to Phinn being charged with her murder.
During the trial, Dr. Simon Poole testified that petechiae—small red spots caused by ruptured blood vessels—were consistent with strangulation lasting between 15 to 30 seconds. However, there was no medical evidence to suggest that Christie had ever lost consciousness. The post-mortem examination could not clarify the cause of her split lip, which might have resulted from a blow to the face or from injuries sustained during strangulation.
The precise cause of the fatal blunt force trauma to the back of Christie’s head remains unclear, but Judge Peter Gower KC stated he was certain Phinn was responsible, suggesting it was “more probably” caused by impact with a wall. Phinn claimed to have “blacked out” and could not recall attacking his mother, a defense that prosecutor Deanna Heer KC rejected, arguing that he was fully aware of Christie’s frailty.
In court, it was revealed that Phinn had prior convictions for battery in 2007 and criminal damage in 2021, as well as a less relevant conviction for drug dealing in 2010. His history of violence included smashing his mother’s belongings over a two-decade span, leading magistrates to impose a 12-month restraining order in February 2021 to prevent him from visiting her.
A neighbor, Maisie Carroll, testified that Christie had once told her Phinn had pinned her to the bed to demand money. The court also learned that Christie had sought refuge elsewhere after three separate violent incidents. Ms. Heer highlighted that Phinn’s acts of violence were often triggered by demands for money for drugs, suggesting that domestic violence guidelines were pertinent to the case.
The prosecution described Christie as a vulnerable woman—unsteady, depressed, reliant on alcohol, and suffering from diabetes and Alzheimer’s dementia. Phinn had moved from Birmingham to London to care for her, initially adopting a position of trust. However, this trust was ultimately betrayed by the fatal attack. Despite this, some family members, including Ms. Carroll and Phinn’s aunt, spoke of a loving relationship between mother and son. In a defense statement, Joshua, Christie’s youngest son, described Phinn as “a good person at his core.” Notably, the family did not submit victim impact statements for the prosecution.
Sasha Wass KC pointed out the “complex family dynamic,” asserting that there was no historical violence from Phinn toward his mother, characterizing the incident as a loss of temper and control, which he typically directed at inanimate objects.
After the incident, Phinn requested to be arrested and expressed worries about his mother’s neck being broken. Ms. Wass noted that he was “frankly shocked by his own behavior.” She argued that his quick admission demonstrated “genuine and extreme remorse” and emphasized his mental health struggles and substance abuse as factors in his claimed ‘blackout.’
“He had been drinking heavily, had various mental health issues, and smoked a lot of cannabis,” she explained. “The important thing is that the defendant cannot remember how his hands came to be around his mother’s throat. He clearly acknowledges he did it. He called the police to confess.”
Later, Ms. Wass remarked, “Christie Eugene was loved by Jason Phinn, and whatever happens to him today, he will never forgive himself for what occurred on November 2 last year. He understands he caused his mother’s death; she was a mother he loved and was very close to until he was 35.”
After sentencing Phinn to 13 years, Judge Gower stated, “Early on November 2, something caused you to lose your temper, though it’s unclear what triggered it. Your defense mentions your mother humming loudly and an ensuing argument, which may have been trivial. Regardless, that offers no justification for your actions.
“I am certain you are responsible for the blunt force trauma to the back of her head, even if you haven’t admitted it—perhaps because you don’t remember. That trauma led to the brain bleed, which was the cause of her death.”
The judge concluded that Phinn must have intended to inflict harm that fell just short of serious injury, and that his mother’s frailty would have been apparent. He also noted Phinn’s history of violent outbursts towards Christie and the fact that she was killed in her own home, a place where she should have felt safe.
Judge Gower stated, “I recognize that your actions were not premeditated, and you made immediate and ongoing efforts to get help for your mother and contact the police. However, I cannot accept that you were unaware of what you were doing to her while you were assaulting her.
“I have no doubt that you loved your mother and that she loved you in return. The fact that you took her life is a source of regret not just for her, your younger brother, her sister, and close friends, but also for you and your young son. You will have to carry the weight of your actions for the rest of your life, and I believe that will be a heavy burden to endure.”
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