Babysitter found guilty of double murder of parents while their child was asleep

A man babysitting for a couple while they went on an evening out has been has been found guilty of murdering the pair.

A jury at Winchester Crown Court found Stan Elliott, from Basingstoke, murdered Geoff Hibbert, 61, and his wife, Michelle Hibbert, 29, in a violent and ferocious attack while their child was asleep in their bedroom.

The court had heard Elliott, 53, may have been motivated because he found out Geoff Hibbert was blaming him for a burglary at Buzz Bingo, Basingstoke, where £28,000 was stolen 18 months beforehand.

During the early evening of Saturday 19 June 2021, Geoff and Michelle had asked Stan Elliott if he would babysit their young child for them so that they could have an evening out together.

Elliott agreed to babysit, and the couple left to have an evening out in Reading.

They returned home at about 1.30am Sunday, but within half an hour were savagely attacked by Elliott, while their child remained asleep in a bedroom. Geoff and Michelle both suffered multiple stab wounds.

During the attack, the court heard, Mrs Hibbert was able to call the police to report that her and her husband had been stabbed.

In the 999 call she made, using the defendant's mobile phone, she can be heard pleading for the attacker to stop so she can look after her son.

She is heard telling the operator: "Someone has just stabbed me and stabbed my husband. I'm in my house."

Mrs Hibbert adds: "You have got to come soon or my husband is going to get killed."

She was then heard screaming ”No no no, please. I have got to look after my son.”

Elliott fled the property before the arrival of the police but was shortly arrested at his home, after disposing of clothing.

Andrew Eddy, CPS Wessex Senior Crown Prosecutor, said: “The terror and panic that Michelle must have suffered, knowing that her husband had been stabbed, that she herself had been attacked, and that her child was still in their home, is unthinkable. In the circumstances, she must have been extremely brave and strong-willed to have had the determination to call 999.

“Elliott denied being responsible for the murders of Geoff and Michelle Hibbert, despite being named by Michelle whilst she was on the phone to emergency services.

“Following a thorough investigation by the police, the CPS used CCTV and forensic evidence to build a strong case against Elliott, so that a jury were satisfied beyond any reasonable doubt that he was guilty of their murders.

“It is indeed a tragedy that Geoff and Michelle’s child has now lost its parents following a senseless and extreme act of violence. We hope that Geoff and Michelle’s family will feel a small sense of comfort that justice has been delivered today.”