'Stonegate mum should never have been on trial'

"A SLEDGEHAMMER to crack a nut" was the damning conclusion of one Stonegate resident in the days following Kay Gilderdale's trial.

The loving and devoted mother of ME sufferer Lynn Gilderdale was this week cleared of attempting to murder her daughter.

Mrs Gilderdale, 54, was given a conditional discharge for Lynn's assisted suicide in December 2008, which she admitted last July.

But the Stonegate community, showing overwhelming support to their neighbour, condemned the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service to put her through trial.

Ray Barfoot, of Lymden Lane, said: "We thought it was absolutely ridiculous she'd been charged with attempted murder and that the CPS – as the judge said when he summed up – was wrong to take her to court.

"It seemed like a sledgehammer to crack a nut."

Mr Barfoot's daughters were friends of Lynn's at Uplands Community College – until at age 14 Lynn became severely ill with ME.

"Kay really devoted her life to Lynn and it must have been terribly difficult all those years, particularly as Lynn said she wanted to die," said Mr Barfoot.

"I think it was an act of compassion.

"We feel the whole thing was blown out of proportion. When Lynn died there were four or five squad cars and forensics outside the house. It seemed overblown and terribly heavy-handed."

The Rev Ian Hughes, who led Lynn's funeral at St Peter's Church in Stonegate, said the village had supported Mrs Gilderdale from the beginning.

"Everybody is very relieved with the decision," he said.

"The conditional discharge is very appropriate and it is a huge relief the judge has been compassionate.

But he added: "It was certainly a surprising decision to take it to trial for attempted murder."

Mrs Gilderdale had cared for Lynn for 17 years in their unassuming Limden Close bungalow.

Residents of the quiet cul-de-sac said they were simply relieved at the not guilty verdict taken by the jury on Monday afternoon.

"We are absolutely delighted. She couldn't have looked after Lynn with any more devotion," said neighbour Pippa Bennett.

But she said Mrs Gilderdale had not deserved to face trial, and another neighbour said there had been "nothing to gain".

Even the trial judge, Mr Justice Bean, questioned if the prosecution should have been brought.

On Wednesday the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, defended his decision to take Kay to court, he had taken in November, stating it was "in the public interest".

He said Mrs Gilderdale had taken "a step further" than assisted suicide when she went on to administer morphine, painkillers and sleeping tablets after her daughter had lost consciousness.