The mother of the woman incarcerated for murdering and beheading her companion claims that her daughter is innocent and a “caring, considerate woman.”
Today, 38-year-old Jemma Mitchell was sentenced to at least 34 years in prison for the ‘profoundly terrible’ murder of 67-year-old Deborah Mee Kuen Chong.
Mitchell’s mother, Hillary Collard, stated that the judge had erred and that her daughter was a misunderstood and caring individual.
Ms. Collard stated that she believed Ms. Chong may have committed suicide and had her head fall off after her death.
She claimed, “From my perspective, she did not do it.” She is not guilty.
“There is simply no doubt about it, and I know she would never do something like that. I am completely perplexed. I am extremely amazed.
Mitchell was accused of transporting Ms. Chong’s body in a huge suitcase after murdering her at her home in Wembley, north-west London.
A jury determined that she beheaded her and hid her body in the yard of the home she shared with her mother in Willesden, north-west London, for two weeks before disposing of it more than 200 miles away in Salcombe, Devon.
Extensive CCTV footage, Ms. Chong’s DNA found on a tea towel packed in the luggage, and a fake will recovered at Mitchell’s home, leaving the most of the victim’s £700,000 fortune to the defendant, supported the prosecution’s case.
Mitchell chose not to testify, and her attorneys argued that ‘gaps’ in the prosecution’s case meant that jurors could not be certain of her guilt.
Friday, Judge Richard Marks KC sentenced Mitchell to life in prison based on “overwhelming evidence.”
Her mother, Ms. Collard, was observed blowing kisses to her daughter as she was sent down from the dock from the public gallery.
Mitchell was found guilty of violating a non-molestation order against her sister and brother-in-law.
Mitchell’s conviction for violating a non-molestation order against family members can now be disclosed.
In 2016, she obtained a conditional discharge for violating the order for her sister and brother-in-law at the North West London Magistrates’ Court.
Since returning to the United Kingdom, Mitchell had remained unemployed as she focused on her problematic house remodeling project.
Since she was never registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC), she was unable to legally practice osteopathy in the United Kingdom.
The former Foreign Service Officer noted that there was no DNA on the body.
If she had murdered the lady, there would have been blood and other evidence at our home, but there was none.
Also at Deborah’s residence, they said she was slain. There is no blood or anything else.
Furthermore, how could a rigor mortis body be stuffed into a suitcase, dragged out, and laid on the ground without any DNA being present?
“How can she be charged if her DNA is not on the body?” I just don’t comprehend it.’
A pathologist testified during the trial that the victim’s head fractures from being pushed to the ground or struck with a weapon would not necessarily have caused bleeding.
And the prosecution suggested Mitchell transported the remains using a plastic sheet.
Mrs. Collard stated, “She invited me to accompany her to Salcombe.” If she had a corpse in her trunk, she would not have invited me to accompany her, would she?
If I had been with her, I would have been arrested as an accessory to murder, therefore it is fortunate that I did not accompany her.
She informed me she wanted to spend the day at the beach.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Marks told Mitchell: ‘As part of your degree, you were taught anatomy, and you advertised your experience dissecting human bodies on the website where you advertised your services as an osteopath.
This undoubtedly served you well when you severed her head, but why you chose to do so remains a mystery.
Mrs. Collard, however, argued that her daughter would not have committed the crime and stated that Ms. Chong was despondent, had committed suicide, and that her skull had separated due to decomposition.
If her daughter had testified, she might have explained that the suitcase contained plates, cutlery, and tea towels, she added.
In response to the discovery of a counterfeit will at their residence, Mrs. Collard stated, “I believed Deborah had requested her to write up the will for her.”
She stated that her daughter was a ‘caring, considerate’ woman, not ‘very cunning’ as the judge had stated.
Ms. Collard continued, “She is my caregiver, so what am I to do? I have no idea how long I will be able to manage on my own.