Grandson's Brutal Betrayal for Inheritance Money
A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the savage murder of his 96-year-old grandmother, a crime committed in cold blood to access money from her will. Joshua Powell, of Lindford, must serve a minimum of 26 years behind bars after pleading guilty to murdering Emma Finch, the grandmother he affectionately called 'oma'.
A Calculated and Savage Attack
The horrific events unfolded in the early hours of May 17, 2024. Powell, who worked as a Tesco cashier, sneaked into his grandmother's home under the cover of darkness. Portsmouth Crown Court heard how he brutally strangled the elderly woman with a belt. In a desperate attempt to cover his tracks, he then set fire to the bed where her body lay.
The plot began to unravel when fire crews were automatically alerted by a carbon monoxide alarm at around 4am. After forcing their way into the property in Lindford, they discovered a fire emanating from the back bedroom. A post-mortem examination later confirmed the true cause of death: strangulation.
Evidence presented to the court painted a picture of a premeditated crime. CCTV footage showed Powell leaving his flat with a belt, which he later discarded in bushes. Police also discovered the back door key safe was open and empty, with the combination found in a note on Powell's phone. Despite switching off his phone's location finder, officers were able to track his movements via his car's data.
A Family's Heartbreak and a Son's Final Fear
The court was presented with a jarring contrast between Powell's actions and his relationship with his victim. He visited his grandmother weekly to help with food shopping and play Scrabble, describing her in an apology letter as 'the one constant in my life that I could count on'.
However, it was revealed that Powell was in significant debt, owing his landlord £2,500 and approximately £8,000 to other companies. Weeks before the murder, he told friends he hoped his grandmother would die soon because he was 'skint' and believed he was the sole beneficiary of her will.
The victim impact statements delivered by Ms Finch's devastated family laid bare the depth of the betrayal. Her son, Peter Finch, expressed his profound anguish: 'One of my biggest fears is that mum in those final seconds before she lost consciousness as you were strangling her, that she knew it was you Joshua and that being her final, haunting memory.' Powell's own mother, Catherine Powell, who is Ms Finch's daughter, said she 'will struggle ever to forgive him for what he has done'.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Michael Bowes KC condemned Powell's actions, stating: 'Emma Finch, your grandmother, showed you great kindness... You repaid her kindness by savagely killing her in the expectation of gaining money from her death under her will.' The judge noted that despite Powell's Tourette syndrome and reduced cognitive function, he 'knew perfectly well the difference between right and wrong'.
Following the sentencing, the family released a statement hoping they can now rebuild their 'shattered lives' and that their mother can 'finally rest in peace knowing that justice has been served'.
