Locations
Kent Street, Plaistow, East London, E13
Description
Pictured here for the first time is a depraved cocaine-addicted killer who strangled his grandmother to death before having sex with her corpse.
Donovan Miller choked 76-year-old Phyllis Grant and beat her over the head with a vase at her home in Kent Street, Plaistow, east London.
The 31-year-old killer then had sex with her body twice, before admitting his horrifying acts to paramedics, telling them 'I raped her'.
Ms Grant was a regular churchgoer who neighbours described as a 'matriarch of the community' and a 'lovely' woman.
She had been released from hospital after recovering from Covid prior to her killing in March last year.
Donovan Miller choked 76-year-old Phyllis Grant and beat her over the head with a vase at her home in Kent Street, Plaistow, east London. Ms Grant was a regular churchgoer who neighbours described as a 'matriarch of the community' and a 'lovely' woman
The Old Bailey heard how police arrived at Ms Grant's address after 10pm on March 25 last year after Miller called police saying he had killed his grandmother the previous night.
He told paramedic the night of his arrest: 'I raped her as well for what it's worth, yesterday and today.'
Miller later confirmed he had sex with his grandmother's corpse after she had died.
He also told police he was dependent on cocaine but that he had no mental health issues.
Miller, also of Kent Street, Plaistow, appeared in court via video link from the John Howard Centre secure psychiatric unit.
He denied murder but admitted manslaughter and sexual penetration of a corpse.
The Crown Prosecution Service accepted the plea in light of the conclusions of three psychiatrists.
Miller is now due to be sentenced next month. Though Donovan faces a prison term, he could also be sentenced to a hospital order under guidelines for diminished responsibility.
Hospital orders are used if a medical practitioner suggests that an offender suffered from a mental disorder at the time of the offence and the court considers that a hospital order may be an appropriate way of dealing with the case.
Speaking about the plea, prosecutor Caroline Carberry QC said: 'Careful consideration has been given in advance of today to the acceptability of a plea and in light of the conclusions of three forensic psychiatric consultants, the Crown's position is that this is a proper approach to take in this case.'
Judge Anthony Leonard, QC, said: 'So on the basis of diminished responsibility as we used to call it.'
Adjourning sentence until March 28 while further psychiatric reports are prepared the judge told Miller: 'The fact you pleaded guilty today will be taken into account by the sentencing judge.'