A dad-of-three who broke into a hospital mortuary and violated and defiled bodies has been jailed for six years
A dad-of-three who broke into a mortuary and defiled two bodies has been jailed.
Damon Tingay “violated and defiled” bodies after he broke into the mortuary of the Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, Grimsby, in the early hours of the morning on 17 March
Grimsby Crown Court heard Tingay rummaged through numerous fridges and disturbed the shrouds covering the dead before he performed sex acts on two male bodies.
Tingay was in the mortuary for around four minutes undisturbed before being discovered by hospital staff and attempting to flee.
Behind him, he left a “horrifying scene” the court was told, as the 30-year-old pled guilty to the sexual penetration of a corpse and trespassing with intent to commit a sexual offence.
On Friday, Tingay was sentenced to six years in prison and an extended licence period of four years by a judge who called his actions “perverted and utterly grotesque”.
The court heard statements from the mum and aunt of one of the patients who Tingay attacked.
They described the “incredible pain when they discovered what had happened to a dear and precious loved member of their family”.
Prosecutor Jeremy Evans said it was “something they will remember for the rest of their lives” and the man’s aunt had suffered a flare-up of multiple sclerosis due to the stress “caused by discovering a family member had been violated in such a manner”.
A statement from the brother of a man who was disturbed when his drawer was opened said he suffered nightmares and had been “traumatised” by the fact his brother’s body “had been disturbed in a place where he trusted he would be safe and at peace”.
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The court was told how Tingay cycled onto the hospital grounds at around 2.50am and spent about two hours on site – trying to keep away from security guards.
Sentencing the defendant, Judge John Thackray KC told him: “When you thought you had evaded them you entered the mortuary by forcing an external door.
“What happens thereafter is shown on CCTV.”
Footage played in court showed Tingay drinking from a bottle, before entering the mortuary – the door had no lock and was only held closed by a magnet.
CCTV from inside the mortuary was shown to the judge privately.
Mr Evans said 10 bodies were disturbed by Tingay opening the fridges or removing their shrouds before he committed his horrific acts.
At one point Tingay attempted to lift one patient out by their blanket, and appeared to strike another with his fist, the hearing was told.
After being disturbed by hospital staff, he was detained by security guards when he tried to flee the mortuary.
In a statement, one member of staff said: “I have seen a lot in my career. This was one of the worst things I have seen in my life.
“It was the indignity, the lack of respect. I couldn’t stop crying.”
Mr Evans said that when Tingay was arrested he was shouting and screaming he had done nothing wrong and at one point claimed he had been blamed for a friend’s suicide and was seeking answers.
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In an interview with police, he said he had no memory of the incident.
Craig Lowe, defending, said Tingay wanted to “offer a wholehearted apology” and said the offending was “clearly out of character for this friendly, kind, considerate man”.
The judge warned if Tingay had not been disturbed there would have been even more victims, adding: “There is undoubtedly a very, very dark side to you.”
As well as the prison sentence, Tingay was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.
A 53-year-old man has been charged after a car was driven into a crowd at Liverpool FC’s trophy parade.
Paul Doyle, from the West Derby area of Liverpool, has been charged with seven offences, Merseyside Police said.
The businessman, who is a father-of-three, is accused of two counts of unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and two counts of causing unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Paul Doyle
Doyle is also accused of two counts of attempted unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and one count of dangerous driving.
He is due to appear before Liverpool Magistrates Court on Friday.
The charges relate to six people, including two children. A wounding charge and an attempted grievous bodily harm charge relate to a child.
A police car was outside Doyle’s four-bedroom detached family home in the West Derby area on Thursday morning.
According to his social media, he has travelled extensively including Japan, Fiji, India and Australia. Doyle has posted pictures of himself competing in triathlons, and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
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New Liverpool incident footage
Thousands of fans were gathered in Liverpool city centre on Monday to celebrate the Premier League champions’ title win when a car struck a crowd on Water Street.
Police said a total of 79 people were injured in the incident, with the youngest aged nine, and the oldest being a 78-year-old.
Seven people remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Forensic officers at the scene in Water Street. Pic: PA
‘Huge volume of evidence’
Chief crown prosecutor for the CPS Mersey-Cheshire, Sarah Hammond, told a news conference on Thursday that the investigation was at an early stage and a “huge volume of evidence” was being reviewed.
“This includes multiple pieces of video footage and numerous witness statements. It is important to ensure that every victim gets the justice they deserve.
“The charges will be kept under review as the investigation progresses.”
Police ‘working tirelessly’
Also at the briefing where the charges were announced was Assistant Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, Jenny Sims, who said: “I fully understand how this incident has left us all shocked and saddened, and I know many will continue to have concerns and questions.
“Our detectives are working tirelessly, with diligence and professionalism, to seek the answer to all of those questions. When we are able to, we will provide further information.”
The youngest victim injured in the Liverpool parade crash on Monday is nine years old, police have said.
They added that the oldest is 78, with all 79 people injured understood to be British. Seven remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Merseyside Police declined to say what drug the 53-year-old man arrested over the incident is alleged to have taken.
“We wouldn’t go into this detail at this stage of the investigation,” the force said.
Police at the scene in Liverpool. Pic: AP
Forensic officers in Water Street. Pic: PA
Police are still questioning the driver and were granted further time to do so on Wednesday.
Officers have until Thursday evening to question the man from West Derby.
He is in custody on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and drug driving.
Police believe the car which struck pedestrians was able to follow an ambulance crew attending to someone suffering a heart attack after a road block was temporarily lifted.
Hundreds of thousands of Liverpool fans had turned out to celebrate their team’s Premier League title when the incident unfolded on Water Street just after 6pm on Monday.
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‘My boy in his pram, got bounced’
‘The best day of my life turned into worst’
Sky News interviewed a lifelong Liverpool fan who said his five-month-old son was “bounced” 15ft (4.6m) in his pram after they were hit by the vehicle.
The child was not counted in the police’s injury tally.
Daniel Eveson, 36, also said his partner had been driven over.
“The best day of my life turned into [the] worst,” Mr Eveson said.
He added: “Me and my partner were flat on the roof, on the bonnet… we were just both trying to hold on for dear life with Ted next to us.
“And my partner went under the wheels of the car, of the front of the car, and it rolled over her leg, and I just bounced off to the side, but my boy and his pram got bounced totally in the opposite direction – about 15ft down the road.”
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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Liverpool to meet with police chiefs and the local metro mayor.
He said he was being kept informed of developments, adding: “The scenes on Monday were just awful, to see how incredible joy at an amazing achievement turned to horror in a moment.”
Messages of support have been sent to the people of Liverpool, including from the King who said: “I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales said they were “deeply saddened” by the incident.
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