Man jailed for killing his sister, 15, in ‘extremely unusual and sad’ Wells case | a crime

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A man has been jailed for strangling his 15-year-old sister to death on a family holiday in what a judge described as a “very unusual and sad case”.

Matthew Selby, 20, has admitted attacking his younger sister, Amanda Selby, after an argument in their caravan in North Wales.

Selby, who is autistic and suffers from a disorder that causes violent seizures, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminishing responsibility in the aftermath of the July 31, 2021 attack.

The court heard the siblings were on holiday near Rhyl with their father, Anthony Selby, when they returned to their caravan after a day trip and began arguing.

Prosecutor Jamie Baxter said Selby lunged at his sister after she hit him with a tampon, causing a “minor” injury to his lower lip.

The court heard she fell to the floor between two beds in the confined room, and Selby then climbed on top of her.

Baxter told Crown Mauld Court in Flintshire, Wales, on Friday that their father tried to separate the couple, but his son was “too strong, his anger was too high” and Amanda had nowhere to turn.

The court heard that Selby did not disembark from his sister until she had stopped moving. “Tell my mom I love her,” Amanda said, lying under her brother.

Baxter said the “emotional” and “disturbing” 999 call showed Anthony Selby’s “desperation” that he had tried everything he could to move his daughter to her back or out of the room but was unable to.

Police arrived and arrested the 19-year-old Selby, the court heard. An autopsy showed that the cause of Amanda’s death was suffocation.

“It is a sad and very unusual case that presents the court this morning with a difficult task,” Judge Reese Rowlands said.

Selby was diagnosed with autism at the age of 16, and his parents noted that there was little real support from the authorities.

Attorney General Baxter said Amanda’s parents “understandably” chose not to give statements to the victims in the case.

Gordon Cole KS said: He pleaded that attempts had been made to see if the court could impose a hospital order on the accused, who might be sent to hospital rather than prison under the Mental Health Act. He said, “In short, you can’t, and we accept it. It should be a custodial sentence.”

He said he spoke to Selby’s mother prior to the hearing and told the court: “This is appalling in the sense that she has lost two children, by all measures and intents, but she is very aware of the issues and difficulties this defendant has and is here to support.”

Sentenced, Rowlands ordered Selby to serve five years in prison and a further five years on an extended licence, which he said was necessary to protect members of the public from the risks posed by Selby.

He added, “The family was shattered by what happened that day in July last year.”

After her death, Amanda’s family said in a statement: “Amanda was a loving daughter and granddaughter — caring, thoughtful, loving helping others and loving so much. We will miss her with great sadness.”

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