Latest news with #NatashaFlynnFarrell
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Burglar who murdered grandmother, 69, in her own home after her horrified daughter watched the break-in on Ring doorbell is jailed for life
A burglar who brutally murdered a grandmother in her own home while her horrified daughter witnessed the break-in on Ring doorbell footage has been jailed for life. Natasha Flynn Farrell, 38, watched on in fear as the doorbell camera captured the moment Dean Mears, 34, forced his way into 69-year-old Catherine Flynn's seaside home. Harrowing audio captured on a Ring doorbell showed the moment the scaffolder who was 'high on drugs' dragged Ms Flynn, who had mobility issues and used a Zimmer frame, out of bed and repeatedly stamped on her face and neck at least 15 times. Ms Farrell, who received a notification from the doorbell camera at 10:27pm, was left helpless as she heard her terrified mother begging: 'Please don't!' The distressing footage showed Mears shouting 'Where are the keys?' at Ms Flynn pleaded for her life. Then, less than two minutes after the break in, the 43-year-old dived out of the broken window, leaving Ms Flynn with 'severe' injuries and in a pool of her own blood. Tragically, the mother and grandmother passed away in hospital the following day. However, Ms Flynn's quick-thinking to keep the Ring doorbell footage open, helped detectives gain crucial evidence to convict her mother's savage killer. Harrowing audio captured on a Ring doorbell reveals the moment the scaffolder who was 'high on drugs' dragged Ms Flynn (pictured), who had mobility issues and used a Zimmer frame, out of bed and repeatedly stamped on her face and neck at least 15 times Ms Farrell, who received a notification from the doorbell camera at 10:27pm, was left helpless as she heard her terrified mother begging: 'Please don't!' The distressing footage (pictured) showed Mears shouting 'Where are the keys?' at Ms Flynn pleaded for her life Appearing at Caernarfon Crown Court today, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum sentence term of 28 years. Judge Rhys Rowlands described the horrific incident as a 'case of unusual savagery, a merciless killing of an extremely vulnerable lady in her own home'. Speaking to Mears, of Kinmel Bay, he added: 'You clearly are an extremely dangerous individual and have shown no real remorse for the dreadful violence inflicted on Mrs Flynn that night.' The prosecutor said Ms Flynn had suffered 'severe injuries' to her face and brain that left her with 'no chance' of survival. Meanwhile, pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers told the jury that the 'catastrophic' injuries were similar to those seen in a high-speed motor vehicle collisions. Adding that they were caused by 'repeated, severe blunt force trauma that shattered all her facial bones', he said: 'He inflicted such severe damage to the face of Mrs Flynn that she had no chance of surviving this vicious, unprovoked assault.' Ms Farrell who said in an impact statement that she still had 'nightmares' about the horrific ordeal in October last year, described re-watching the chilling video of her beloved mum, known as 'Queenie', and hearing the sound of the 15 thuds, as 'like being tortured'. However, she knew that she 'had to watch it play out' and 'had to stay on it for it to be recorded'. The prosecutor said Ms Flynn had suffered 'severe injuries' to her face and brain that left her with 'no chance' of survival. Meanwhile, pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers told the jury that the 'catastrophic' injuries were similar to those seen in a high-speed motor vehicle collisions Speaking directly to Mears, she told the murderer across the courtroom: 'I want my face and words etched into your brain, like you are into mine. The trauma plays over and over in my head'. 'She worshipped her family. My mum's home was her safe space. I will never forgive you Dean Mears. I hope you never see the streets again. 'How could you do what you did to my Queenie? I am lost and frightened and our family will never be the same.' A judge previously said that drugs had 'ruined Mears' life, having began using cannabis aged 13 or 14 before moving on to use cocaine and ketamine. At the time of the incident, Mears had taken ketamine, cannabis and cocaine. Despite calls by many for the decriminalisation of cannabis use, Ms Farrell feels strongly against such view, adding: 'No drug is soft, a drug is a drug for a reason'. After the fatal burglary, Mears returned to his friend's home, and stripped off his trousers and underwear, before being seen on CCTV walking semi-naked in the town. The convicted drug dealer, who had broken every bone in Ms Flynn's face, admitted manslaughter but denied murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility, insisting that he could not remember the incident. The judge told him: 'Mrs Flynn had been an extremely vulnerable lady who was killed by you in what should have been the safety of her own home after you had broken in.' Addressing the jury, he said: 'I can't give any explanation to this terrible thing I have done. I accept I've done what I have done but I had no intention to hurt anybody'. He also claimed that he had mistaken the home in the seaside town of Rhyl, north Wales, for being empty, arguing that he had been targeting a neighbouring house instead. Ms Farrell's family described the mother-of-three as a 'wonderful' woman who would 'help anyone if she could'. They added: 'Catherine was a wonderful mum, nan, great nan, auntie, and sister, and also a second mother to many and a great friend. 'She loved her family more than anything, she was a fantastic cook and was always wanting to feed anyone in her company. 'Her passing has left a huge hole in everyone's hearts, things will never be the same without our Queenie. We've not only lost our mum and nan, we've lost our best friend, our safe place, our security, our backbone of the family and our daily ray of sunshine.' Deanne Mcginty of the Crown Prosecution Service said: 'Dean Mears inflicted a brutal attack on Catherine Flynn in her own home, a place where she should have been safe. 'Mears' actions resulted in a tragic loss of life, and that loss is deeply felt by the family and friends of Catherine. 'Our thoughts will remain with them.' Senior Investigating Officer Superintendent Lee Boycott said: 'Mears broke into Cathy Flynn's home whilst she was sleeping and ferociously and repeatedly stamped on her in a brutal and violent unprovoked attack. 'The injuries Cathy sustained were not survivable and she tragically died the following day in hospital. 'His abhorrent actions that night was witnessed by Cathy's daughter on her doorbell footage, which will undoubtedly stay with her and her family forever.'
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
Moment burglar smashes into nan's home before beating her to death in attack heard by helpless daughter – as he's jailed
A BURGLAR who beat a gran to death has been jailed for life after he was captured in terrifying doorbell footage smashing into her home. Catherine "Queenie" Flynn, 69, was dragged from her bed by Dean Mears, who broke every bone in her face in the random killing. 6 6 6 Her daughter Natasha Flynn-Farrell was forced to listen to her mum's final moments after the attack was caught on a doorbell cam. Mears has now been jailed for life with a minimum of 27 years after he was convicted of murder. Sentencing, Judge Rhys Rowlands said the killing was "truly horrific" and "senseless". The judge added: "Mrs Flynn had been an extremely vulnerable lady who was killed by you in what should have been the safety of her own home after you had broken in." Footage showed Mears ringing the bell at the home in Rhyl, North Wales, after he had taken cannabis and ketamine. The 34-year-old, who did not know Catherine, was then captured smashing a downstairs window to gain access to the house to burgle it. Once inside, Mears stomped on 4ft 10ins Catherine 15 times in a "senseless" attack. Tragically, the doorbell footage triggered a message on Natasha's phone - meaning she was forced to helplessly listen to her mum. Brave Natasha kept the app open in order to record the video, which provided key evidence in the harrowing case. As a result, she told how she just "had to watch it play out' as her mum desperately begged "please don't". Mears could also be heard yelling, "Where are the keys?" as Catherine pleaded with him not to hurt her. Natasha said: "It was horrendous, it was sickening.' Mears was then captured just two minutes later throwing himself through the broken window and fleeing. Frail Catherine, who used a Zimmer frame, suffered catastrophic injuries before dying the next day in hospital. Caernarfon Crown Court heard after the horror last October, Mears returned to his pal's home and stripped off his trousers and underwear. He was then seen on CCTV walking semi-naked around the town. Mears admitted he had carried out the attack but claimed he had no recollection. Prosecutor Andrew Jones said Mears had left Catherine "dying on the floor of her own bedroom". A post-mortem likened the injuries Catherine suffered to those seen in car crashes. A pathologist said the wounds were caused by "repeated, severe blunt force trauma that shattered all her facial bones". He added: "He inflicted such severe damage to the face of Mrs Flynn that she had no chance of surviving this vicious, unprovoked assault." Catherine's family described the gran as a "rock" and best friend to her three children and said "her house was so welcoming and warm". They said: "Catherine was a wonderful mum, nan, great nan, auntie, and sister, and also a second mother to many and a great friend. "She loved her family more than anything, she was a fantastic cook and was always wanting to feed anyone in her company. "Her pride and joy (after her family) was her love for her garden, she would sit for hours just watching the birds and the bees come in and out of her little wonderland, with every flower imaginable. "We often wondered how her garden was always so beautiful - now we know, it's because she was the ray of sunshine." 6 6 6
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Dean Mears Rhyl ring doorbell killer jailed for Catherine Flynn murder
The daughter of a woman brutally killed by a drug dealer has said her life "shattered" the moment she saw the murderer enter her mother's Mears dragged grandmother Catherine Flynn, 69, from her bed and stamped on her, breaking every bone in her face during the attack in October Flynn's daughter Natasha Flynn-Farrell said she watched helplessly after she received a doorbell camera alert of the drug dealer breaking into her mother's home in the seaside town of Rhyl in Denbighshire. Jailing him for life with a 27 year and 128 day minimum term, Judge Rhys Rowlands said Mears, 35, was responsible for a "savage, and quite ferocious and merciless attack". He said the recording captured on the doorbell camera "can only be described as horrific"."It was by all accounts a truly shocking and cruel way to end her life."Mears, from Kinmel Bay in Conwy, was found guilty of murder after a nine-day trial in Caernarfon in jury heard he had taken ketamine and cannabis before breaking into the frail grandmother's home - a woman he had never then smashed a window and entered the home, going straight to Mrs Flynn's could be heard screaming at her before the sickening sound of stamping was captured on the doorbell Flynn was taken to hospital after suffering extensive facial trauma and multiple fractures, where she died the following Andrew Jones KC said she had suffered serious health and mobility issues, and used a stairlift and a walking frame inside her was just 4ft 10in (1.47m) and weighed less than eight stone (50kg). Mrs Flynn-Farrell addressed her mother's killer in the dock on Friday. "You Dean Mears - you can't even look at me," she said. "You didn't just kill my mum - you killed a part of me."You Dean Mears took the light out of my life."I want my words and my face to be etched into your brain."She said she lived with the footage and sounds captured by the doorbell camera during the attack."I hear those thuds to her head, face and neck every day."It replays in my in slow motion - thud, thud, thud."That moment was the vilest, sickening moment of my life."How could you do what you did to my mum - my queenie. You should hang your head in shame."You are nothing but a coward. I'll never forgive you Dean Mears." Pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers told the jury Mrs Flynn's injuries were "the types of injuries you see in high-speed road traffic collisions".The doorbell recording suggested there were up to 15 blows from her admitted he had carried out the attack, but said he had no recollection of what defence team argued Mears had been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), after being stabbed twice following a prison sentence for drug dealing. Speaking to BBC Wales before the sentencing, Mrs Flynn-Farrell recounted the moment she received the doorbell notification to tell her someone was at her mother's front door."It is the worst night of my life I have ever experienced," she said."My life just shattered in that second," she said. "As soon as I clicked on that notification, that was the moment my world crumbled." Mrs Flynn-Farrell was home alone as events unfolded a short drive away at her mother's house, and could only watch and listen until Mears left before she could phone the police."For those two minutes I had to watch that out. It felt like two hours. I was hysterical." Arriving at the house, Mrs Flynn-Farrell was kept outside while police went in to see what had happened to her mother."I did know it was serious but I was trying to tell myself it was going to be OK, that hopefully it wasn't as bad as what I'd heard."But it was awful. It was the worst outcome that could have ever happened for her - and for all our family." Mrs Flynn-Farrell said Mears was "not worth the air we breathe"."To be able to do that to a defenceless, 69-year-old, frail, seven stone little woman. She was like a little doll."He's a monster and he's a coward. Mrs Flynn-Farrell said her mother's murder has had a profound affect on her and those around her."There are so many lives he has ripped apart," she said."The ripple effect this has had - not just on the family, on the community, on complete strangers. It's been a whirlwind of emotions for everyone."She said she was still living with the impact every day."I find it hard most days to get up and go out. I don't want to see anyone, I've lost contact with my friends. "It's given me bad anxiety, depression, PTSD. I don't even watch the telly anymore, in case things trigger it."I'm living a nightmare still." Mrs Flynn-Farrell said she hoped the sentencing could finally bring some closure to the tragedy and wants to be able to help others facing family trauma in the coined the social media tag #JusticeforQueenie as the murder case went through the court system, as a platform to remember her mother and to talk about what had happened."It's not just for my mum - it's for everyone's Queenie," she said."I want this to carry on and be a platform against violence for women and girls. It'll be used to help other organisations, femicide awareness and things like that."
The Sun
16-05-2025
- The Sun
Moment burglar smashes into nan's home before stomping her to death – as helpless daughter heard attack on doorbell cam
THIS is the horrifying moment a burglar smashed his way into a gran's home before stomping her to death in a brutal murder. Catherine "Queenie" Flynn, 69, was dragged from her bed by Dean Mears, who broke every bone in her face. 7 7 7 Her daughter Natasha Flynn-Farrell was forced to listen to her mum's final moments after the attack was caught on doorbell cam. Footage showed Mears ringing the bell at the home in Rhyl, North Wales, after he took cannabis and ketamine. The 34-year-old was then captured smashing a downstairs window to gain access to the house to burgle it. Once inside, Mears stomped on 4ft 10ins Catherine 15 times in a "senseless" attack. Tragically, the doorbell footage triggered a message on Natasha's phone - meaning she was forced to helplessly listen to her mum's killing. Brave Natasha kept the app open in order to record the video, which was the key evidence in the harrowing case. As a result, she told how she just "had to watch it play out' as her mum desperately begged "please don't". Mears could also be heard yelling "where are the keys?" as Catherine pleaded with him not to hurt her. The sickening sound of 15 thuds was also captured as the killer attacked Catherine. Natasha said: "It was horrendous, it was sickening.' Mears was then captured just two minutes later throwing himself through the broken window and fleeing. Frail Catherine, who used a Zimmer frame, suffered catastrophic injuries before dying the next day in hospital. Mears, who admitted manslaughter, has now been found guilty of murder following a trial. Caernarfon Crown Court heard after the horror last October, Mears returned to his pal's home and stripped off his trousers and underwear. He was then seen on CCTV walking semi-naked around the town. Mears admitted he had carried out the attack but claimed he had no recollection. Prosecutor Andrew Jones left Catherine "dying on the floor of her own bedroom". A post-mortem likened the injuries Catherine suffered to those seen in car crashes. A pathologist said the wounds were caused by "repeated, severe blunt force trauma that shattered all her facial bones". He added: "He inflicted such severe damage to the face of Mrs Flynn that she had no chance of surviving this vicious, unprovoked assault." Catherine's family described the gran as a "rock" and best friend to her three children and said "her house was so welcoming and warm". They said: "Catherine was a wonderful mum, nan, great nan, auntie, and sister, and also a second mother to many and a great friend. "She loved her family more than anything, she was a fantastic cook and was always wanting to feed anyone in her company. "Her pride and joy (after her family) was her love for her garden, she would sit for hours just watching the birds and the bees come in and out of her little wonderland, with every flower imaginable. "We often wondered how her garden was always so beautiful - now we know, it's because she was the ray of sunshine." Mears was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing in June. 7 7 7 7
