In
July 2020, 59-year-old Corinna Smith committed a heinous crime,
assaulting her 81-year-old husband, Michael Baines, and causing severe
burns covering 36% of his body. The attack involved a viscous substance
created by mixing boiling water with three bags of sugar, a method
chosen to maximize harm. The motive behind the assault was rooted in
Smith's anger, fueled by her daughter's allegations that Mr. Baines had
victimized her and her brother during their childhood.
Driven
by extreme rage upon hearing these accusations, Smith, enraged by her
daughter's claims of alleged victimization by Mr. Baines, executed the
attack with premeditation. The prosecution revealed that the addition of
sugar to the liquid made it thicker and stickier, causing more
substantial damage to the victim's skin.
Michael
Baines, who endured significant burns, underwent surgical procedures
and skin grafts. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries a
month later in August 2020 at Whiston Hospital. The court heard that
before his death, Smith's son, Craig, who tragically ended his own life
in 2007, had disclosed to his mother that he had assaulted a person he
identified as a pedophile responsible for sexually abusing him.
Smith's
defense attempted to argue mansla*ghter due to loss of control, citing
the emotional turmoil caused by her son's disclosure and her daughter's
allegations. However, the jury found her guilty of m*rder, considering
the premeditated nature of the attack that took approximately 13 minutes
to plan and execute.
Prosecutor Mark Rhind QC
emphasized that Smith was in control of her actions, driven by anger and
a desire for vengeance. He asserted that her intention was either to
k*ll Michael or cause him serious harm, leading to the m*rder
conviction.
After committing the assault, Smith
fled her house and sought help from a neighbor several doors away,
expressing concern that she had severely harmed or k*lled her husband.
The neighbor summoned an ambulance and the police, who found Mr. Baines
in agonizing pain with peeling skin.
During a
police interview, Smith admitted to pouring boiling water over her
husband but claimed the entire incident was a blur, emphasizing a loss
of control and intense emotional reaction rather than calculated
revenge.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Hughes
of Cheshire Constabulary's Major Crime Directorate highlighted the cruel
and painful manner in which Smith ended her husband's life. He
criticized her for wasting time seeking help from a distant neighbor,
emphasizing that Michael, an elderly man, struggled for survival after
the attack but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Smith received a
life sentence with a minimum of 12 years in prison at Chester Crown
Court, marking the legal consequences of her brutal crime.

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