Hotelier and Sister Accused of Murdering 100-Year-Old Mother

Jeremy Mogford, a 79-year-old restaurateur, and his sister Sarah Pickering, 72, are on trial for the alleged murder of their mother, 100-year-old Pamela Mogford, at her home in Bledlow Ridge, Buckinghamshire. The siblings deny the charge, admitting to administering morphine before her death on 15 February 2022, but stating it was solely to alleviate her pain.

Oxford Crown Court heard testimony from Dr Thomas Neal, the siblings' mother's general practitioner. Dr Neal stated he had visited Pamela Mogford three times on the day of her death, administering two morphine injections to manage her back pain. He described her as being "very unwell" and said it was possible she was nearing the end of her life. He told the court that during his final visit, he advised the family not to give her any additional pain medication that evening.

Dr Neal explained that further medication could depress her breathing, potentially causing her death. He advised the siblings to contact the out-of-hours doctor by calling 111 if their mother required further medical attention, stating he wanted her to be reassessed before receiving any more painkillers. However, the defence barrister for Sarah Pickering, Benjamin Newton KC, noted that none of the doctor's statements explicitly mentioned him telling the family not to give their mother medication that evening.

Jeremy Mogford is a well-known hotelier who opened the first Browns Brasserie in 1973. The siblings were arrested after text messages were discovered on Pickering's phone from the evening of their mother's death, including the message, "I am actually killing her". The prosecution alleges the pair administered at least four times the amount of morphine given by the doctor the previous evening, with the intent to hasten her death. The siblings maintain they were simply trying to ease her pain and suffering in her final hours.