Joshua Powell, 27, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 26 years after pleading guilty to murdering his 96‑year‑old grandmother, Emma Finch. He entered her home in Liss, Hampshire, during the night of 17 May 2024, strangled her with a belt and set her bed on fire; firefighters discovered her body the same morning. Powell was reportedly more than £10,000 in debt and had previously received a £3,495 advance from Ms Finch's inheritance. Family members described the killing as a betrayal of a woman who had acted as a mother figure to him.
Grandson jailed for life after killing 96‑year‑old grandmother to inherit her estate
Joshua Powell, 27, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 26 years after pleading guilty to murdering his 96‑year‑old grandmother, Emma Finch. He entered her home in Liss, Hampshire, during the night of 17 May 2024, strangled her with a belt and set her bed on fire; firefighters discovered her body the same morning. Powell was reportedly more than £10,000 in debt and had previously received a £3,495 advance from Ms Finch's inheritance. Family members described the killing as a betrayal of a woman who had acted as a mother figure to him.
09:54 PM, 11/14/2025Society
Grandson jailed for life after killing 96‑year‑old grandmother
Joshua Powell, 27, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 26 years after admitting the murder of his 96‑year‑old grandmother, Emma Finch.
Portsmouth Crown Court heard that Powell entered Ms Finch's home in Mill Road, Liss, Hampshire, during the night of 17 May 2024. He strangled her with a belt and set alight the bed where she was lying; firefighters later discovered her body in the early hours of that morning.
Background and motive
The court was told Powell had accumulated debts of more than £10,000 to his landlord and various companies. Ms Finch, who was known to family members as "Oma," had acted as a maternal figure and had advanced him £3,495 from his inheritance. Prosecutors said Powell murdered her in the expectation of benefiting under her will.
Court remarks and victim impact
Judge Michael Bowes KC told Powell: "Emma Finch, your grandmother, showed you great kindness and gave you a great deal of money during her life. You repaid her kindness by savagely killing her in the expectation of gaining money from her death under her will. It is clear that she was awake, knew what was happening to her and scratched your face in an attempt to resist your lethal attack."
In a victim impact statement, Powell's mother, Catherine Powell and Ms Finch's daughter, said she "will struggle ever to forgive him for what he has done." Ms Finch's son, Peter Finch, described the killing as "a truly wicked and sickening act against someone who only showed you love throughout your life."
Apology and sentence
Powell submitted a letter of apology to the court in which he described Ms Finch as "the one constant in my life that I could count on." Despite this remorse, the judge imposed a life sentence with a minimum term of 26 years because of the gravity and calculated nature of the attack.
This case has underscored concerns about elder abuse and the exploitation of vulnerable relatives. The sentencing reflects the seriousness with which the court treated an offence driven by financial motive against a vulnerable elderly victim.