Ben Oliver 27

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In 2016, Ben Oliver was convicted of sexual offences against a young girl when he was aged 15.

A mentally unwell man has been jailed for over a decade after he admitted killing his bed-bound grandad by stabbing him repeatedly with a knife. Ben Oliver, 25, carried out a brutal attack upon 74-year-old David Oliver at his home in Mottingham, South London, shortly after learning of allegations that his grandad had carried out historic sexual abuse of girls.

Oliver, of Bexleyheath, had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was cleared of murder by a jury at the Old Bailey and has handed a life sentence today (Thursday, July 28) with a minimum term of 10 years and eight months. The court had heard that Oliver has Autistic Spectrum Disorder and was a troubled and angry young man which had diminished his responsibility for the killing.

The prosecutor had said that Oliver had become very angry after discovering historic allegations of abuse by his grandad. David Oliver was said to have also treated his wife poorly during their marriage and had conducted extramarital affairs. After suffering a stroke a few years previously, he had become immobile and was bed-bound at the time of his death.

On the morning of January 19, he picked up a kitchen knife before walking into his pensioners bedroom and stabbing him repeatedly. Prosecutor Louis Mably QC said: He was attacked and killed as he lay helpless in bed, in his bedroom on the first floor of the house. He had been repeatedly stabbed and slashed with a knife in the face, and in particular in the neck, which had effectively been cut open. It was a brutal attack, plainly carried out with the intention of killing him.

Immediately afterwards, he confessed to his gran what he had done before sending a text to his mum to inform what he had done. Giving evidence during the trial, Susan Oliver said that she had approached her husbands bedroom, before Oliver emerged covered in blood and told her, dont go in there Nan, I dont want you to see that.

He also told her, he cant hurt you anymore, before messaging his mum to say, mum Ive killed grandad, I love you. He then went to sit by an upstairs bedroom windowsill in an attempt to jump to his death, before his grandmother persuaded him not to do so.

She later called the emergency services and paramedics from the London Ambulance Service rushed to the scene, however David was obviously dead from his severe injuries. A purple knife was found resting on his shoulder, and Oliver was arrested as he smoked a cigarette in his bedroom.

A post-mortem examination showed that the pensioner had attempted to defend himself using his one mobile arm, but was in no position to survive the brutal onslaught. Jurors had heard that the younger man had suffered a difficult upbringing and had previously been convicted of sexual offences against a young girl when he was 15 years old.

He was released from a youth detention centre in September 2019 and had suffered from suicidal thoughts and depression. Over Christmas 2020, his mental health had significantly worsened and following a suicide attempt in January, it was decided that he should live with Susan, who also provided care for her husband David.

On one occasion, just days before he murdered his grandad, Oliver had phoned the RSPCA telling them to collect his pet ferret as he intended on committing suicide. He had also begged his gran for assistance and told her he wished to die in her arms.

Speaking in his defence, Jennifer Dempsey QC told the court that due to his emotional and mental difficulties, the information about his grandads sexual offences were almost impossible to process. She said: Through a series of grossly unfortunate events, which we submit, combined together to create an almost perfect storm in the middle of which this tragic offence was committed.

She argued that he had suffered substantial and significant trauma during his childhood, and continued: His life since he was a young child has been characterised by a complete lack of stability and what can only be described as complex family relationships. An Old Bailey judge also heard that Oliver was unable to form rational judgements as a result of this trauma and his mental health.

Sentencing him to 10 years and eight months, Judge Munro noted that he had been hit very hard by the pandemic, and that he had not been the only member of his family who had expressed a serious desire to kill your grandad following the allegations of sexual abuse.

Despite his mental health however, Judge Munro QC said that he had murdered his grandad in a ferocious but controlled way. She said: "On the 19th the carers came as usual to see to your grandfathers needs. When they had gone your nan took him a biscuit and coffee. That was the last time she saw him alive. You were noted to be jittery and couldnt rest. You asked to lie down with your nan which you did. However, when she got up you went downstairs. It was around 1130-1145am.

"You selected a knife from the kitchen and you went to your grandfathers room. You cut his throat repeatedly with severe force, you stabbed his mouth so he could not cry out and his eyes so that he couldnt look at you as you killed him. He tried in vain to protect himself by raising his right arm. He was utterly powerless. There were a total of 21 stab wounds to the face, seven to the torso and obvious defence injuries. He died very quickly of massive blood loss."

She continued: "I do consider the seriousness of the offence justifies a life sentence and therefore that is the sentence I must impose on you." He has been jailed for 10 years and eight months after it was ruled that he did continue to present a "significant risk to the public".

The 25-year-olds sentencing made an Old Bailey first as it became the first sentencing to be broadcasted live on television. Following a change in law, broadcasters were able to air Judge Sarah Munro QCs sentencing remarks, allowing the public to see and hear judges to explain their reasoning.

Only the judges remarks will be filmed, with the camera unable to film victims, witnesses, jurors, the defendants and barristers. The move will open up some of the most high-profile courts in the country, including the Central Criminal Court where the countrys most notorious criminals are tried.

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said: Opening up the courtroom to cameras to film the sentencing of some of the countrys most serious offenders will improve transparency and reinforce confidence in the justice system. The public will now be able to see justice handed down, helping them understand better the complex decisions judges make.