Son who stabbed mum to death in knife attack to stay in psychiatric hospital

A son who killed his mother in a knife attack at their home had his detention in a secure psychiatric hospital continued.

Jonathon Divers repeatedly struck Elizabeth Watson on the head and body with the weapon in a fatal assault at an address in Peterhead, in Aberdeenshire, on June 27 in 2023.

Divers, 33, now known as Jonny Watson, inflicted 40 injuries to his mother’s head, neck and back in the frenzied attack after she told him to leave the property.

He produced a kitchen knife from the waistband of his trousers and killed his mother with the weapon.

A neighbour heard cries for help and discovered the victim lying on the floor at her home.

Divers, who has learning difficulties, was found by police in a bathroom smoking a cigarette. He said he did not know what had happened.

He was originally charged with murdering his 58-year-old mother but pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of culpable homicide on the basis of diminished responsibility earlier this year.

The judge, Lord Cubie, said it was “a frenzied attack” and noted that Divers was unable to manage his emotions and maintain control. He ruled that Divers should be detained under an interim compulsion order.

The case was called again before the judge at the High Court in Edinburgh, and he extended the interim order, which was due to expire, to November 5 as he was satisfied on the basis of reports that the criteria for it were still met.

A further hearing at the High Court in Kilmarnock on November 5 will consider whether a compulsion order for Divers’ detention should be made and whether the court should make a restriction order where the offender is considered to pose a serious risk to the public.