20-year-old autistic man who choked his 15-year-old sister at a holiday park over a provocation has been jailed for five years.
Matthew Selby, 20, attacked his sister Amanda after an argument in a caravan at the Ty Mawr Holiday Park in Towyn, near Abergele, North Wales, on Saturday July 31 last year.
Police were immediately alerted of a “domestic disturbance” at the park but Amanda sadly died at the scene as she died from asphyxia.
Her throat was crushed and her external airways blocked, an inquest heard.
The court heard Matthew Selby has autism spectrum disorder with intermittent explosive disorder which causes aggressive outbursts.
In effort to protect members of the public from the risks posed by Selby, he is given an extended sentence of 10 years – made up of a five-year custodial term and five years on extended licence.
Reading the sentence, the judge said: ‘The family has been shattered by what happened that day in July last year.’
The siblings had been on holiday with their father Anthony when they returned to their caravan after a trip to Rhyl and began arguing.
‘Selby lunged at his sister after she hit him with a plug, causing a “trivial” injury to his bottom lip.
‘Amanda fell to the floor between two beds in the confined room and Selby then got on top of her, the court heard.
‘Mr Selby Senior tried to climb over one of the beds and did all he could to help but was unable to get between his children,’ Baxter continued.
‘His son was too strong, his rage too high, and his daughter had nowhere to move.’
The court heard that, as she lay underneath her brother, Amanda said: “Tell Mum I love her.”
‘Mr Selby pleaded with his son to get off Amanda but he did not get up until she had stopped breathing.
‘He said an “emotional” and “upsetting” 999 call showed Mr Selby’s “desperation” as he tried everything he could to move his daughter on to her back or out of the room but was not able to.’
Police arrived and arrested Selby, the court heard.
Amanda’s family describe her as a “caring and thoughtful” teenager.
Selby appeared via videolink from HMP Berwyn for the hearing in February of this year, at which point he entered a guilty plea to the manslaughter of Amanda.
Selby was seen by a psychiatrist between his initial hearing and his sentencing.
Sentencing on Friday, Judge Rowlands told Selby it was “an extremely unusual and sad case which presents the court this morning with a difficult task”.
He said Selby had been diagnosed with autism at 16 and his parents suggested there had been little real support from the authorities.
The court heard Selby was convicted of two offences of battery, against his sister and mother, in 2015 and had previous cautions for violence, the court heard.
Following her death, Amanda’s school authority released a statement through their website which said: ‘Our school family is devastated by this awful news. Amanda was a lovely student and she will be sorely missed by students and staff.’
Teachers praised the Year 10 pupil’s performance in previous newsletters published by Droylsden Academy, in Tameside, Greater Manchester.
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