Son weeps as he pleads guilty to stabbing his retired dinner lady mother to death in her own home

A son cried as he admitted stabbing his mother to death in her own home. 

Adrian Hardy, 52, wiped tears from his eyes after he pleaded guilty to murdering his mother, Joan, 72, a retired dinner lady, at the home they shared this summer. 

Hardy, a former factory worker with a history of alcohol problems, was remanded in custody following his plea at Derby Crown Court on Tuesday. He will be sentenced in December.  

Mrs Hardy was found with stab wounds at the property she described as her 'sanctuary' in the village of Linton near Swadlincote, South Derbyshire, just after 2.30pm on Sunday, June 21.

She lived alone following the death of her husband Richard, an Army veteran, who died in 2023. 

He had served with the Staffordshire Regiment and friends said he bought their home from the council with his pension.

Neighbours said Hardy was a 'trouble maker' and 'alcoholic' who had been living with his mother on and off but were shocked at what had happened. 

Mrs Hardy was described 'as a lovely woman' with a 'heart of gold'.  

One neighbour said: 'She was a lovely lady, and we have heard all sorts of rumours about her death.

'We can't believe this has happened on our doorsteps.

'She didn't deserve to die in this terrible way. Everyone in the street is shocked.'

The woman added: 'She had been widowed a few years ago and led a very quiet life

'She loved her home and called it her sanctuary.'

Another neighbour, who remembers her as his school dinner lady, said: 'It is just such shocking and sad news.

'I remember Joan as being my dinner lady at Linton Primary School and we lived in the same street.

'I knew her quite well, and she was a good soul.

'In later years since losing her husband she didn't go out so much or socialise but the ladies living nearby would often drop in for a chat,'

The man, who declined to be named, added: 'This is a peaceful and pleasant area to live in and you do not expect anything like this to happen.'

Hardy has previous convictions for driving without due care and attention, failing to stop and failing to provide a breath specimen.

In 2015 he caused widespread disruption costing Network Rail more than £24,000 after walking through railway tunnels at New Street Station in Birmingham after drinking nine pints. 

Hardy had asked staff at the station the time of the next train before walking off the end of the platform towards the tunnels – bringing the rail system to a halt. 

He was pursued by railway staff and police before being detained, telling officers he wanted to harm himself. 

When questioned later he said he had drunk nine pints. He also confessed he had only claimed to be suicidal to 'reduce the impact' of what he had done.

The incident caused a total of eight-and-a-half-hours delay to trains and the cost to Network Rail amounted to £24,366.

He was spared jail after pleading guilty at Birmingham Magistrates' Court to obstructing an engine.

District Judge David Murray said the only thing that stopped Hardy from being sent to prison was that he was getting help for his alcohol problems.

Instead he was sentenced to a 12-month community order and ordered to pay £500 compensation.