Daniel Bartlam Detained for Minimum 16 Years for the Carefully Planned Murder of His Mother Jacqueline

A schoolboy who claimed he was inspired by a plot from Coronation Street to kill his mother with a hammer has been detained for a minimum of 16 years.

Daniel Bartlam attempted to commit the "perfect murder" by emulating the ITV1 soap opera villain John Stape, who had also killed a woman with a hammer.

The 15-year-old admitted killing his mother, Jacqueline, in April 2010 but claimed it was not murder because he had lost self control.

However earlier this year, a jury at Nottingham Crown Court found him guilty of murder.

The court heard that police found a montage of scenes from various TV soaps on the teenager's home computer - including fires and a hammer murder.

He had also accessed websites such as How To Get Away With Murder.

After the killing, Bartlam wrapped his mother's body in newspaper and set her alight.

Her body was so badly burned that she could only be identified from dental records.

Local authorities had referred Bartlam to a counsellor after he complained of hearing voices but a psychiatrist found he was not mentally ill.

More to follow...