Son, 31, who stabbed his 'cruel and violent' father, 52, to death is jailed for ... trends now

A son who stabbed his 'cruel' father to death while high on crack cocaine following years of alleged sexual and physical abuse has been jailed for 10 years for manslaughter - after being cleared by a jury of murder.

Sean Maurice, 31, plunged a knife into the back and chest of his car salesman father  Paul Maurice a total of 33 times during a frenzied attack at the family home in Bromley, southeast London on September 14, 2021. 

Sean, a father-of-one, fled the scene across the back gardens of adjacent properties and climbed onto a shed roof, leading to a stand-off with police which ultimately ended in his arrest.  

Mr Maurice, 52, branded a 'dreadful father' by a judge today, told neighbours he did not want to die as he collapsed bleeding on their doorstep, the court heard. 

In police bodycam footage Sean told officers: 'I've got nothing to lose... you lot are trying to arrest me because I beat up my dad who abused me, he raped me... and you want to arrest me? What kind of f*****g justice is that?' 

Sean admitted manslaughter but was cleared of murder by the Old Bailey jury in central London after 13 hours and 11 minutes of deliberation.

Wearing a white shirt and tie, he collapsed and sobbed with relief as the verdict was delivered. 

Later sentencing him to 10 years in prison, Judge Dennis Watson, KC, said: 'During the trial you spoke of your father's violence and his physical abuse of you.

'Your sister and brother spoke of similar abuse at his hands and on the evidence I have heard I accept that your experiences were the worst. I also accept that this abuse has caused you lasting damage.

'Your personal situation became unstable, and you used alcohol and drugs as a way of dealing with problems and stress and this must have contributed to your erratic behaviour and deteriorating mental health.'

Mr Watson said Sean was detained under the Mental Health Act in July 2021 before spending a brief period of time living at his father's home. A three-week stay at a rehab facility followed but he soon relapsed, the court was told.  

The judge continued: 'On 6 September you became upset when your father refused to allow you to stay in his house. On 14 September you relapsed again, took some alcohol and crack, and fell out with the family at your temporary home.

'They rang or messaged begging you to come back. You replied ''I'll cut somebody a bleeding river.''

'You walked to your father's home. Within 10 minutes you left taking his phone, car key and bank cards. You had left him for dead having stabbed him 33 times.

'I'm satisfied you didn't intend to get any help for him at all and knew exactly what you had done, and you told your sister as much when you rang her.

'You threatened violence to a taxi driver, and were wound up and aggressive when police tried to arrest you at half past three the following morning.'

Sean claimed he had grabbed the knife off his father's kitchen counter, but the judge found that he had taken it with him to the scene.

He said: 'You took a knife to the scene. Your anger was clear as you set off from home. Your sister explained her shock and mixed feelings toward her father. She made the point she no longer has the choice to go to police about what he did.

'He had other children as well as you and your siblings and they too have lost a father.'

Andrew Frymann, defending, said Sean was sorry for what he did.

He added: 'Sean Maurice bore the brunt of his father's mistreatment and took on a lot of the mistreatment to protect his siblings. He also looked after them, causing him to be unable to attend any further education.'

He said Sean was planning to undertake a Sociology degree while in prison and was having weekly video chats with his young daughter.

The court had earlier heard Paul had abused his children and Sean was kicked out of the house at the behest of his father's younger girlfriends.

On the night of the killing, the court heard how neighbours Sharon and Mark Ovenell were getting ready to go to bed when their evening was disturbed by a frantic ringing at their front doorbell.

Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones, KC, said: 'Mr Ovenell opened the door, he had the chain on, and he looked out and what he saw you may think will stay with him for the rest of his life.

'There on his doorstep was his next-door neighbour, a man he knew as Paul. In fact his name was Paul Maurice.

'Paul was slumped over on the Ovenells' doorstep, he was shirtless; and he was covered in blood.

'He was saying he was finding it hard to breathe, and that he did not want to die.

'Mr Ovenell asked him what had happened. Paul said that his son had attacked him with a knife.

'He had visible wounds - that is to say Mr Ovenell could see wounds - to his back and chest. In fact he had been stabbed about 30 times.

'Mrs Ovenell called 999 and the police and London Ambulance Service attended within a few minutes.'