Southend man convicted of killing mum in house fire
66 year old Elsie Pinder died in the early hours of July last year - her son has now been convicted of killing her
Last updated 1st Dec 2022
A Southend man has been found guilty of murdering his own mother - after setting fire to her home while she was still inside.
66 year old Elsie Pinder died in the early hours of July 3 last year after flames broke out on Southchurch Road.
He son, 42 year old Andrew Wilding, was caught on CCTV leaving their shared home in the moments before smoke started pouring out of the building.
Wilding, who was his mum's sole carer, walked to a nearby McDonald's to buy a drink, while neighbours raised the alarm about the fire.
Wilding claimed he'd left a battery on to charge before leaving the house and was initially treated as a witness.
He later became a suspect and was arrested on suspicion of murder and arson with intent to endanger life.
During the investigation, officers found he'd searched the internet for terms including “fires”, “arsons”, “murders” and “batteries involved in fires”.
There was also evidence he looked up information about inheritance payments.
Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Truss, who led our investigation, said:
“This is a tragic case in which Andrew Wilding’s greed led to him setting a fire in the home he shared with his mother. He knew, there was no chance she would be able to get out of the building alive.
"She had suffered a stroke and was bedbound and he was her sole carer.
“Elsie, despite her health issues, was described as being full of laughter and energy. Wilding took away her the chance for her to enjoy her later years.
“Even more than that, he also knew there were neighbours in the building in which he and his mother lived. He undoubtedly put their lives at risk with his actions.
“He denied these charges but thankfully, my investigative team was able to provide overwhelming evidence that this tragic event was indeed murder. The work which was carried out by the team cannot be overestimated. This is among the most complex investigations faced in Essex.
“He now faces the prospect of a substantial period of time in prison.”