Kimberley Ann Hawkins, 40, has been charged with stealing a mobility scooter from a man aged in his 60s, who was reportedly found unresponsive in -4C temperatures and died in hospital later that day
A woman accused of robbing a stroke victim of his mobility scooter shortly before he died has been remanded in custody.
Police rushed to a Tesco car park at around 6am on Sunday, after reports that 63-year-old Neil Shadwick had been found unresponsive in -4C temperatures. He died in Gloucestershire Royal Hospital later that day.
Kimberley Ann Hawkins, 40, appeared at Cheltenham Magistrates Court today where she did not enter any plea to the single charge of robbery.
Wearing a grey top in the dock, she spoke only to confirm her name and date of birth.
The court was told that Mr Shadwick suffered from Parkinson’s Disease and had recently suffered a stroke, and had difficulty communicating verbally.
Prosecutor Cathy Thornton opposed bail and outlined the Crown case to the court. Defence lawyer Clare Buckley said that she was content with her client being remanded in custody.
Presiding, Justice Simon White told Hawkins: “We are not granting you bail because of the seriousness of the offence. You will be remanded in custody until the next hearing at Gloucester Crown Court on February 16.”
The court was told Mr Shadwick had been found collapsed near the Tesco store but died later in hospital.
Mr Shadwick’s mobility scooter was found later that same day Sunday, January 22, at around 9am abandoned in Bisley Old Road, Stroud.
Ms Hawkins had initially been arrested on suspicion of murder and robbery following the death of Mr Shadwick.
She remains under investigation for murder as enquiries continue to establish the cause of Mr Shadwick’s death.
A police spokesman previously said: “A post-mortem examination has returned inconclusive results about Mr Shadwick’s cause of death.
“Further testing will need to be carried out to determine the cause of death and a police investigation is ongoing.”
Hawkins was told that her case is being committed to Gloucester Crown Court, where she will appear on February 16.
Source: The Mirror
