Anne Whyte KC of QEB Hollis Whiteman acted for the prosecution in a complex and sensitive manslaughter case heard at Reading Crown Court, involving the death of a four-year-old child and issues of severe mental illness.
The defendant, Akanksha Adivarekar, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her son, Agustya Hegishte, by reason of diminished responsibility. The offence occurred on 10 June. The prosecution case was advanced on the basis of agreed medical evidence from three consultant psychiatrists, all of whom concluded that the defendant was suffering from bipolar disorder at the time of the killing.
Anne Whyte KC presented the background to the family circumstances, noting that the family were outwardly stable and happy and that the child was well cared for and loved by both parents. The sequence of events on the day of the offence was also outlined, including the defendant’s increasingly erratic communications with her husband, the fatal attack and her subsequent admission to hospital staff.
The court imposed a hospital order with restrictions under under section 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983, with any future discharge subject to approval by the Ministry of Justice or a mental health tribunal.
Anne Whyte KC was instructed by Charles White of CPS Thames & Chiltern.
The case has been featured in national press:
Anne Whyte KC