Former mayor who ‘smothered mother’ told police feel free ‘to call it murder’

David McLean, a former mayor of Winchester, denies attempted murder of Margaret McLean, his mother

A former Winchester mayor who allegedly smothered his mother “to end her suffering” told police “if you want to call it murder, feel free,” body camera footage has shown.

David McLean, 72, is charged with the attempted murder of his 92-year-old mother. He is said to have covered her face with a pillow in what he argued was an act of “compassion” while she lay on her deathbed.

Jurors have been told the “upstanding” former mayor uttered the words “Sorry, Mum” to Margaret McLean as he covered her face because he couldn’t bear to see her “drowning in her own snot”.

“She’s helped me in everything I’ve done in my life and I could not watch her drown,” he told police.

On Tuesday a court heard armed firearms officers raided Mrs McLean’s home and arrested an emotional Mr McLean “pretty much over the body of his dead mother”.

Mr McLean, who had minutes before told a 111 operator he “killed” his mother, expressed surprise when “about 20” police officers arrived at the house in Hampshire village Waltham Chase.

“Christ all f—— mighty, how many do you need?”, Mr McLean was heard asking the officers in body-worn camera footage played on Tuesday to jurors.

Speaking to Pc Phillip Lindsey, an armed arresting officer, Mr McLean continued: “Did this come over as a murder?”

After explaining what happened, the former Mayor of Winchester then said: “If you want to call that murder, feel free.”

He also said “this is the world we’re currently living in” and “how many policemen does it take to arrest an old man?”.

Clearly distressed

Winchester Crown Court, Hants, heard Mr McLean was arrested on suspicion of murdering Mrs McLean while he was stood right by her.

The body-worn footage played to the court showed Mr McLean was clearly distressed at the time of his arrest in the early hours of Oct 7 2022.

He told Pc Lindsey: “This is my mother who has passed away at 92 years old, she was drowning in her own snot.

“I’ve sat with her all night. I have just stopped her drowning in her own snot.

“She’s my mother.

“She’s helped me in everything I’ve done in my life and I could not watch her drown.

“I couldn’t – that’s my mother.

“I know what I did, I know why I did it.”

Winchester Crown Court heard Mr McLean was arrested on suspicion of murdering his mother while he was stood right by her – Solent News & Photo Agency

The court has heard Mrs McLean was bed-bound at her home with a long history of medical problems, could not communicate, and required four visits a day from carers.

In her final days, she contracted bronchopneumonia and her condition deteriorated so rapidly that on Oct 6 her carers told Mr McLean her death was imminent.

He placed a dark-coloured pillow over her face on the evening of Oct 6 and called 111 to report her death and say he “killed” her, it was heard.

Pc Lindsey, giving evidence at Winchester Crown Court, was asked about the arrest by Sarah Jones KC, Mr McLean’s barrister.

Ms Jones KC asked: “Did you give any thought as to whether there was any need to arrest him at all?”

Pc Lindsey said: “No, I don’t think so, I’ve not come across a situation where I’ve gone into an address and seen the deceased and someone telling me they have done that and not arrested them.

“It is a sad situation, I do see that.”

In a subsequent police interview, Mr McLean said his mother was a “war hero” and former company owner. He said his father was a chemical engineer who died 20 years ago.

It was also heard that although Mrs McLean died “at or around the time” of the alleged smothering, prosecutors only allege his actions were attempted murder because her condition was so grave she could have died at any time.

Jurors have been told the ‘upstanding’ former mayor uttered the words ‘Sorry, Mum’ to Margaret McLean – David Clarke/Solent News & Photo Agency

On Monday, the court heard a post-mortem was carried out which concluded Mrs McLean died from “natural causes”.

Prosecutor Jodie Mittell said a pathologist concluded the cause of death was bronchopneumonia.

She said: “In summary, that means there’s not enough evidence for the post-mortem to prove that he tried to suffocate his mother.”

However, she said the pathologist said it would have been possible that McLean did smother his mother and for it to leave no evidence.

The pathologist is ‘neutral’ on the matter, Ms Mittell said.

Mr McLean, from Bishop’s Waltham, Hants, served as mayor of Winchester from 2017 to 2018.

He denies attempted murder and the three-week trial continues.

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