Gosport man, 83, guilty of murder after stabbing nephew 11 times
An 83-year-old man has been found guilty of murdering his nephew in Gosport, Hampshire, after stabbing him 11 times and setting fire to the property. The defendant claimed self-defense and diminished responsibility, but the jury rejected these pleas.
Why it matters
The case highlights issues regarding elderly mental health, family disputes, and the legal complexities of diminished responsibility in criminal trials.
Image source, Family photo Image caption, Andrew Avery was found stabbed in a burning house in Gosport
An 83-year-old man, who stabbed his nephew 11 times and then started a fire to cover up the killing, has been found guilty of murder.
Firefighters found Andrew Avery, 65, lying in a smoke-filled house in Gosport, Hampshire, in November 2024.
Defendant Alan Wotton, who was living in the property which Avery was trying to sell, believed his nephew was trying to defraud him, Portsmouth Crown Court was told.
Wotton is due to be sentenced on 22 October.
On the day of the attack on 29 September, Wotton was reluctantly due to move out of his late sister's house in Exmouth Road, the court was told.
Firefighters found Avery lying in the property with seven stab wounds to the chest and further injuries to his legs and abdomen, the jury heard.
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