Man acquitted of murdering grandfather on insanity plea

Ashley Francis, 27, has been found not guilty of murdering his 81-year-old grandfather, Mervyn Moulton, due to insanity. The jury at Norwich Crown Court accepted evidence from psychiatrists that Francis was suffering from severe mental illness, including paranoid schizophrenia, at the time of the stabbing. On February 29, 2024, Francis attacked his grandfather with a knife he had brought from home while experiencing psychosis and hearing voices. Moulton died a week after the incident, leading to the upgraded charge from attempted murder to murder. The court heard that Francis had been inconsistent in taking his prescribed medication prior to the attack and had a history of mental health issues that worsened in the weeks leading up to the event. The case highlights the complexities surrounding mental illness and the legal system's treatment of defendants found insane during the commission of a crime.