Felix the Cat
12-05-2005, 03:43 AM
Former SAS Soldier Tells How Son Died (http://www.modoracle.com/news/detail.h2f?id=9756)
A former SAS Soldier accused of murdering his terminally ill son yesterday told a court of the moment when he suffocated the boy with a pillow.
Andrew Wragg recalled looking into the boy's eyes and asking: "Have you had enough, son?", before he placed the pillow over his face.
Mr Wragg's 10-year-old son, Jacob, had been suffering from Hunter syndrome, a rare degenerative disease, and was not expected to live beyond his mid-teens.
Lewes crown court heard that Mr Wragg, 38, had called his wife to say he was going to "end the boy's suffering" before he smothered their son in July last year at the family home in Worthing, West Sussex.
Fighting back tears, Mr Wragg told the jury: "I looked into his eyes and he just stared at me. I did not think he was happy. There was nothing left. He was gone."
The court heard that he then sat clutching his son's lifeless body.
Mr Wragg denies murdering Jacob, but admits manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, claiming he was suffering an abnormality of mind when he killed Jacob in what he later claimed was a "mercy killing".
Mr Wragg said he telephoned his wife, Mary, on the day of Jacob's death to reveal his intention to kill the boy.
"I did not want him to suffer any more. I said he could not tell us what pain he was in. I said I thought I would go away on holiday and when I came back, take him away with me and stop it. I said I was going to take him away and end his life, not for me or for you but for Jacob."
The defendant said his wife replied: "Why wait?" He told the court he called her again later that day to say "It's tonight," and to order her to take their six-year-old son, George, to her mother's home in Worthing, which she did.
Mr Wragg told the court how he felt Jacob had changed when he returned home from Iraq after working in Baghdad as a bodyguard.
"Jacob's deformities were more pronounced. He was less energetic," he said.
Michael Sayers QC, defending, asked Mr Wragg if he felt Jacob still recognised him. He replied: "No, I don't think he did." Mr Wragg said his time in Iraq was "terrifying", and that life had changed.
The trial has been adjourned until Tuesday.
A former SAS Soldier accused of murdering his terminally ill son yesterday told a court of the moment when he suffocated the boy with a pillow.
Andrew Wragg recalled looking into the boy's eyes and asking: "Have you had enough, son?", before he placed the pillow over his face.
Mr Wragg's 10-year-old son, Jacob, had been suffering from Hunter syndrome, a rare degenerative disease, and was not expected to live beyond his mid-teens.
Lewes crown court heard that Mr Wragg, 38, had called his wife to say he was going to "end the boy's suffering" before he smothered their son in July last year at the family home in Worthing, West Sussex.
Fighting back tears, Mr Wragg told the jury: "I looked into his eyes and he just stared at me. I did not think he was happy. There was nothing left. He was gone."
The court heard that he then sat clutching his son's lifeless body.
Mr Wragg denies murdering Jacob, but admits manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, claiming he was suffering an abnormality of mind when he killed Jacob in what he later claimed was a "mercy killing".
Mr Wragg said he telephoned his wife, Mary, on the day of Jacob's death to reveal his intention to kill the boy.
"I did not want him to suffer any more. I said he could not tell us what pain he was in. I said I thought I would go away on holiday and when I came back, take him away with me and stop it. I said I was going to take him away and end his life, not for me or for you but for Jacob."
The defendant said his wife replied: "Why wait?" He told the court he called her again later that day to say "It's tonight," and to order her to take their six-year-old son, George, to her mother's home in Worthing, which she did.
Mr Wragg told the court how he felt Jacob had changed when he returned home from Iraq after working in Baghdad as a bodyguard.
"Jacob's deformities were more pronounced. He was less energetic," he said.
Michael Sayers QC, defending, asked Mr Wragg if he felt Jacob still recognised him. He replied: "No, I don't think he did." Mr Wragg said his time in Iraq was "terrifying", and that life had changed.
The trial has been adjourned until Tuesday.