Woman killed mother-in-law by setting fire to her bed as she slept

A woman has been locked up after deliberately setting fire to her elderly mother-in-law's bed to kill her for her money. Mother-of-four Karen Vamplew was told by a judge she did a "wicked and terrible thing" as she was jailed for life on Monday.

Leicester Crown Court heard that Vamplew killed her 77-year-old relative "for gain" and that she "intended she should die". The 44-year-old has now been jailed for life with a minimum of 32 years behind bars.

The court heard that Elizabeth Vamplew, known as Anne, had been "a cheery and bustling presence" in Newark, Nottinghamshire. Later in life, she suffered ill health and her mobility was reduced.

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Vamplew, of King Street, Newark, knew this when she started a blaze at the corner of her bed at her home in Eton Court in the early hours of December 15 in 2021, the court heard. Anne died from burns and smoke inhalation following the fire at her bungalow.

The court heard that one of the fire officers who attended the scene described it as "the hottest fire he had experienced in 17 years in the fire service".

Anne's niece, Amanda Ennells, told a trial she had told by Vamplew that she had tried to save the victim by crawling into the burning room, but was told to get out by a 999 operator she was on the phone to. However, Vamplew's pyjamas were clean when Amanda later saw her, which raised suspicions.

Vamplew also told friend Katie Joynes that she had tried to force the door at Anne's bungalow to get in, and that the blaze had been started by Anne smoking in bed. But this raised suspicions because Ms