Lindford man murdered ‘loving’ grandmother to inherit money

A man who strangled his “loving” grandmother to death to gain money from her will has been jailed for life.

Joshua Powell, 27, sneaked into 96-year-old Emma Finch’s house at night, murdered her with a belt and set fire to the bed she was lying in, Portsmouth Crown Court heard.

Her body was found by firefighters at the property in Mill Road in Liss, Hampshire, in the early hours of 17 May 2024.

Powell, of Elmfield Court, Lindford, who previously admitted murder, was given a minimum jail term of 26 years.

The defendant was in debt to his landlord and various companies to the tune of more than £10,000, the court was told.

His grandmother, known as Oma to the family, tried to be a mother figure to him and advanced him £3,495 on his inheritance, the court was told.

In an apology letter sent to the court, he called her the “one constant in my life that I could count on”.

Judge Michael Bowes KC told Powell: “Emma Finch, your grandmother, showed you great kindness and gave you a great deal of money during her life.

“You repaid her kindness by savagely killing her in the expectation of gaining money from her death under her will.

“It is clear that she was awake, knew what was happening to her and scratched your face in an attempt to resist your lethal attack.”

The defendant’s mother, Catherine Powell, who is Ms Finch’s daughter, said in a victim impact statement that she “will struggle ever to forgive him for what he has done”.

Catherine’s brother, Peter Finch, told the defendant it was “a truly wicked and sickening act against someone who only showed you love throughout your life”.