Newham man jailed for life for strangling mother

Richard Clayton, 45, has been jailed for life for murdering his mother, Angela Clayton, at their home in St George’s Square, Newham. He must serve a minimum of 22 years. The sentencing took place at the Old Bailey on Monday, September 28.

Exploiting vulnerability

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Prosecutor Danny Robinson KC told the court that Clayton, who was unemployed and relied on his mother for financial support, moved in with her in May 2025. He was found to have exploited his mother’s vulnerability for his own financial gain. Mrs Clayton had suffered a heart attack in December 2025 and had a pacemaker fitted. While she was in hospital in January 2026, Clayton pawned some of her belongings, the court heard. He had also made several withdrawals of between £40 and £100 from her bank account.

Louise, Angela Clayton’s daughter, told the court that she had noticed unusual cash withdrawals on February 16. She spoke to her mother and Richard Clayton about the transactions that evening, but neither could account for them. Louise arranged to visit the next day to discuss the matter further.

Timeline of the murder

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CCTV footage showed an unidentified man approach the front garden of Mrs Clayton’s home at 8.52pm on February 16, which the prosecution suggested was a drug deal. Clayton returned home at 2.37am on February 17. According to Mrs Clayton’s pacemaker data, she died at approximately 2.43am. Mr Robinson stated that at 2.43am, Clayton called a premium rate sex line. He made seven further calls to the same service that day. He also withdrew £200 from his mother’s bank card.

After withdrawing the money, Clayton went to a nearby garage to buy a drink, a lighter, and papers before meeting an unidentified male on a nearby road. He returned home at 4.22am and engaged in another suspected drug deal around 11am. His eighth call to the sex line was made at 11.19am.

At 12.36pm on February 17, Clayton called the police and reported that he had killed his mother by strangling her, stating he had had a breakdown. Officers found Mrs Clayton dead on the bedroom floor. A cable charger was found near her neck. The cause of death was determined to be manual compression of the neck. The judge, Nigel Lickley KC, stated there was a strong inference that Clayton killed his mother to continue using her bank card without impediment.

Victim impact statement

In a victim impact statement, Louise described her mother as a “devoted mother and loving wife” who had worked as a childminder for 30 years. She told the court: “Her capacity for love was so profound that she continually offered him love and support and chances he never deserved.” Louise added that Richard Clayton had subjected his mother to “relentless hardship” and that his life had always been defined by “lying, manipulating and stealing driven entirely by his own selfishness.”

The judge remarked that Mrs Clayton, who was five foot four and weighed eight stone, would have been unable to defend herself. He described the murder as “despicable and callous” and noted that Angela Clayton would have realised at some point that she was dying and that it was her son responsible. Clayton had previous convictions for possessing cannabis and assaulting an emergency worker.

What happens next

Richard Clayton has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 22 years. He will be eligible for parole after serving this period. The court heard that Clayton had asked his family for money from prison.