Psychologist who murdered his mum and stole her money told to pay £100,000

Robert Child benefitted £80,000 from the death of his mother Janice

A psychologist who murdered his mother before stealing thousands of pounds has been ordered to pay more than £100,000 or face having his jail sentence extended.

Robert Child, from Wirral, Liverpool, was jailed for life with a minimum of 30 years after striking his mother Janice over the head more than 30 times in her home on March 5, 2020.

He then locked her body in the utility room and immediately transferred £25,000 from her bank account to his own, buying a Jaguar the next day.

Neighbours found Ms Child’s body after being alerted by her barking dog in the early hours of the next morning, leading police to knock on his door.

Childs, 40, was brought back to Liverpool Crown Court for a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act, as he was able to financially benefit £78,589.62 from his mother’s murder.

Following her murder, Ms Child’s estate was directed to her son as her husband died just weeks after her death.

Appearing via video link to HMP Frankland, Child – who has available assets of £339,106.60 –  was told to repay the money he inherited within three months or be handed an additional two and a half years to his sentence.

He was also ordered to pay the additional court costs of £31,209.40 plus a victim surcharge.

Child denied his crime was financially-motivated

During his 2020 trial, it emerged Child had fabricated parts of his career as a psychologist, lying about gaining a doctorate and a PHD.

He also concocted stories about working in combat zones for the Ministry of Defence, and having a wealth of world-famous clients – including Manchester United, British Athletics, the Football Association, and Team GB.

Child pleaded guilty to murder but argued his crime was not motivated by money rather provoked by his mother’s political views, calling her a ‘Brexit-voting halfwit’.

He had attempted to cover his tracks by hiding his visit to his mother, taking a change of clothes to her home, and ringing himself from her mobile which he deliberately left at his university base.

At the time of the crime, Child was over £32,000 in debt, and had two county court judgments against him for £16,000.

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Robert Child has been forced to repay the money he benefitted from his crime.