Man, 47, 'decapitated' his mother with ornamental sword and hid her head in freezer

A man stabbed his 86-year-old mother with an ornamental sword then decapitated her and put her head in the freezer, a court has heard.

Philip Tarver, 47, allegedly attacked Angela Tarver and threatened his 83-year-old father Colin at the family home in Woking, Surrey, on December 19, 2019.

The court heard Philip Tarver had consumed a bottle of vodka and six beers the night before the killing.

When Colin awoke, he saw his son was wearing a female nightie or negligee. After preparing a breakfast of poached eggs, Colin heard screams from his wife.

Opening his murder trial at the Old Bailey, Alexandra Healy QC said: “It is the prosecution case that at around midday that day, in the kitchen of the address, the defendant stabbed his mother in the chest with an ornamental sword, killing her.

“Brandishing that sword in the dining room of the property he argued with and threatened to kill his father.”

Ms Healy added: “He heard a short, sharp scream, and ran from where he was into the dining room.

“He could see that the chair that Angela was sitting on was knocked over. He could see his wife’s feet were resting on that knocked over chair and they were not moving.

“He could tell she was laying on her back. Suddenly, the defendant appeared in front of him holding an ornamental sword that he had owned for some time.

“He was holding the sword out in front of him. He said something to the effect of ‘I am going to kill you’ or ‘I have to kill you’.

“He had a demented look in his eyes which he said were bulging.”

During a struggle, his father managed to disarm the defendant, before leaving to alert police, jurors heard.

Ms Healy said: “It appears that, whilst the police were making their way to the address, the defendant decapitated his mother, placing her head into the freezer in the kitchen.

“And he amputated her left ring finger, which he placed into a kettle.”

Tarver began to clean up, washing himself and the knife he used to decapitate his mother, it was claimed.

When police arrived, he came to the front door “waving a Union Jack and saying he surrendered”, Ms Healy said.

Following his arrest, Philp Tarver heard police speaking to his father and he allegedly commented: “Oh of course his wife. His wife is in the freezer.”

On arrival at the police station he said he was “sorry for killing her” adding that he “must repent my sins”, the court heard.

During a mental health assessment, Tarver went on to explain how he killed his mother, jurors were told.

He was taken to a mental health hospital where he remained until March when he was deemed fit to be interviewed by police.