Michelle Neill, 55, has avoided jail after her paralysed sister, Kelly Neill, 48, died in October 2022. Kelly Neill developed sepsis from bed sores while under her sister's care in Deptford, south-east London.
Michelle Neill previously admitted manslaughter by gross negligence. Old Bailey Judge Richard Marks KC described the case as "highly unusual and exceptionally distressing" and sentenced her to a three-year prison sentence, suspended for three years.
The court heard that Kelly Neill, who became disabled after a stroke in January 2018, was found by paramedics in unsanitary conditions, surrounded by decay and clutter. Her son, Jake Neill-Knight, described his mother's death as having her "dignity stripped and her body defiled."
Judge Marks acknowledged that Michelle Neill, who suffered from anxiety and depression, was "completely unable" to care for her sister and "incapable of seeking help." The judge suspended the sentence due to her personal mitigation and because she was not likely to reoffend.