Man with type 1 diabetes blames hypoglycemia for death of his girlfriend

[DCUK NewsBot]

A man with type 1 diabetes accused of murdering his girlfriend has blamed complications of his condition for the attack. Jeremy Clarke, 55, from Leicester denies the charges, but accepts his partner died because of his involuntary and uncontrollable actions caused by hypoglycemia. Tracey Evans was discovered in the bath having had her throat cut last August on her 52nd birthday. Speaking during his trial at Leicester Crown Court, Mr Clarke said: "I thought I must have done it myself because I was covered in blood." The jury heard how the 55-year-old had drunk nine pints of either bitter or cider while out celebrating Tracey's birthday that afternoon and he had not eaten since midday. On the day in question Mr Clarke claims he left Tracey at the pub while he went home to eat something because he could feel hypoglycemia coming on. CCTV showed he did leave the pub in the evening and his girlfriend followed him eight minutes later. Mr Clarke maintains neither of them had argued on the day and his memory of the evening is hazy, but he can recall her coming home and her shouting. He said: "I just recall her shouting, I recall being forcefully pushed in the bathroom. I've no recollection at all. I don't know if I got up off the bathroom floor or the living room. I remember Tracey in the bath. "I saw blood all over ... I thought I'd possibly had a hypo. I had blood all down my jeans and my face and neck was covered." He appeared emotional on the stand and told the court he knew she was dead because "I couldn't see her breathing ... I saw her throat was cut". Mr Clarke also said that at the time he thought there was "no point" ringing for an ambulance "because she was dead and I thought I wanted to end my own life". He told the police shortly after his arrest that the stress of Tracey shouting at him that evening may have caused his blood glucose levels to drop and he had "no recollection" of stabbing her. The trial continues.

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[Guzzler]

Involuntary manslaughter? Is the outcome of this case liable to set a new precedent or have there been previous cases of people using hypo as a defence?

 

[therower]

As I have spoken about something very similar previously on the forum I’m find this report quite disturbing.
A brief recap. Many years ago when hypos were more severe and I had recently moved to synthetic insulin ( Novorapid) I went through a very brief but troubling few months.
Whenever a hypo started, a rage an anger built up inside me. As a regular gym goer weighing around 100 kilo I had the physical capability to do serious damage. Fortunately I’m not by nature remotely aggressive.
When this rage laden hypos occurred I was in in turmoil. The diabetes wanted me to do physical harm, especially to my wife who was trying to assist me. The diabetes alter ego had immense control over me, I was scared beyond belief with the feelings I was having and feeling unable to control this rage and anger towards my wife.
Somehow, someway an inner part, the real me, the stronger than diabetes part of my brain, of my soul managed to wrestle control. I still don’t know how but I forced myself to go outside and to the bottom of my garden and stay there until the hypo started to diminish.
This happened twice, after the first time I told my wife what had happened. It was agreed that if I went hypo she wouldn’t try to help me. Her trying to help was the catalyst for the rage I felt. We agreed she would just sit and wait and say or do nothing.
On the second time I went hypo a few months later the rage started again, I started to feel the panic set in, the fear that I was going to lose it and possibly attack my wife. But this time , experience and my wife’s detachment made things far easier to control. A walk outside was still required, the rage and anger was still present but I felt I had more control this time.
As with most things diabetes these hypo feelings changed and before I knew it i was having hypos that were far more familiar and manageable.
Do I have sympathy for this guy?? That is such a **** hard question to answer. I totally believe it could happen BUT the alcohol is such a huge factor in this instance for me. Alcohol consumption is also something I have had experience of many years ago and know how it can impact on an individuals rational thoughts and actions .
A really sad article, and I so much want to see this guy punished and not be allowed to use diabetes as an excuse. I just wish that I didn’t have the knowledge that I do regarding hypos and uncontrollable actions.
My head really is in turmoil with this one.
Wish now I hadn’t read the **** thread.

 

[Jaylee]

Interesting story.. & quite tragic..

What don't stack up for me is "On the day in question Mr Clarke claims he left Tracey at the pub while he went home to eat something because he could feel hypoglycemia coming on."

Now I've done enough gigs in pubs & normal nights out. I carry stuff with me & in the van. But my first "go to" as a seasoned diabetic of 42 years, is order a "phat Coke."
If my wife's in attendance of a show, we got this "code." If I go low. She quite often sees the "wind out my sails" anyway & drops a fresh glass next to the diet drink switching the carb laden beverage forward before I even need to give the nod.

It's a very long time since I went on a drinking "excursion," but i'm also pretty certain that my BGs would be up after 8 pints of cider for most the evening & night. With the possibly of a low in the morning providing I don't have any Bolus on board & remeber my basal before retiring to bed in a drunken state..?

It needs 12 T1s on that jury.

I agree with you @therower .i wish I hadn't seen it either...

 

[Member496333]

Seems unlikely but I guess not impossible.

My n=1 account is when I had a false hypo a couple of years back. I felt so ill and so confused that I could barely stand up or even understand where or who I was, much less attack someone else.

 

[Robinredbreast]

This is a disturbing article also a very sad and tragic one. What comes to my mind is 'He went home to treat an oncoming hypo' he really of should of had hypo food on him or surely he could of got something from the pub ?
The pints of alcohol he consumed, 9, can often lead to anger and aggression. Also he said because of Tracey shouting at him, it caused him stress which could of lowered his blood sugar's, stress is more likely to raise blood sugar's.
I personally feel he is using his hypo as an excuse for his behaviour that night. But whatever really happened that night, only he knows, as the other person, Tracey, has lost her life and is a silent witness, I really feel numb.
RIP Tracey.

 

[Robinredbreast]

As I have spoken about something very similar previously on the forum I’m find this report quite disturbing.
A brief recap. Many years ago when hypos were more severe and I had recently moved to synthetic insulin ( Novorapid) I went through a very brief but troubling few months.
Whenever a hypo started, a rage an anger built up inside me. As a regular gym goer weighing around 100 kilo I had the physical capability to do serious damage. Fortunately I’m not by nature remotely aggressive.
When this rage laden hypos occurred I was in in turmoil. The diabetes wanted me to do physical harm, especially to my wife who was trying to assist me. The diabetes alter ego had immense control over me, I was scared beyond belief with the feelings I was having and feeling unable to control this rage and anger towards my wife.
Somehow, someway an inner part, the real me, the stronger than diabetes part of my brain, of my soul managed to wrestle control. I still don’t know how but I forced myself to go outside and to the bottom of my garden and stay there until the hypo started to diminish.
This happened twice, after the first time I told my wife what had happened. It was agreed that if I went hypo she wouldn’t try to help me. Her trying to help was the catalyst for the rage I felt. We agreed she would just sit and wait and say or do nothing.
On the second time I went hypo a few months later the rage started again, I started to feel the panic set in, the fear that I was going to lose it and possibly attack my wife. But this time , experience and my wife’s detachment made things far easier to control. A walk outside was still required, the rage and anger was still present but I felt I had more control this time.
As with most things diabetes these hypo feelings changed and before I knew it i was having hypos that were far more familiar and manageable.
Do I have sympathy for this guy?? That is such a **** hard question to answer. I totally believe it could happen BUT the alcohol is such a huge factor in this instance for me. Alcohol consumption is also something I have had experience of many years ago and know how it can impact on an individuals rational thoughts and actions .
A really sad article, and I so much want to see this guy punished and not be allowed to use diabetes as an excuse. I just wish that I didn’t have the knowledge that I do regarding hypos and uncontrollable actions.
My head really is in turmoil with this one.
Wish now I hadn’t read the **** thread.

You wrote your post from the heart, I can feel your anguish, so good on you for opening up, being truthful and posting x

 

[therower]

@Robinredbreast . Thank you. It all happened a long while back and like everything else involving diabetes it’s only served to strengthen me.
We laugh about it now.
The more I think about the article, the more I see diabetes being used as an excuse, which isn’t fair on any of us. We have enough misunderstandings about T1 diabetes already.

 

[Juicyj]

Although i’ve lost my rag a few times and become argumentative i’ve never lashed out during a hypo or become violent and am more likely to collapse in a heap, and reading this article paints a poor picture of t1 and hypos, I don’t feel convinced this is genuine as how on earth he found a knife in his hand in the bathroom and succeeded in such a brutal exercise, after drinking so much it feels like a poor excuse. Hypos are draining as you lack glucose so little inclination to act in such a violent manner. Sad story.

 

[Jaylee]

Just discussing this topic with my wife. She mentioned I have on a couple of occaisions gone in denial, ("nope I'm OK.) then had a "eureka moment" walked off & grabbed food..

Lol, a T1 friend of mine came to one of my gigs. Subtly slagged of my band during a break (though he seemed to be enjoying the first set.) & after I suggested he tested. Came back & apologised.. For what? I couldn't understand what he was on about, & neither was he convicted at his own comments.

Whilst working in a garage many, many years ago I was attacked by a T1 hypoglycemic customer (grabbed by the throat over the counter.) I managed to throw him back against a partition wall in a tiny booth & pitch a mars bar from the counter stand. hitting him squarely on the head.
He came back a while later, rather sheepish & we shook hands..

We all have our unique "wiring" when cognitively impaired.

 

[BeccyB]

I suffered with 'rage hypos' during puberty, I actually picked up a stool ready to hit my best friend once, and another time physically threw her off a chair that I had decided was 'mine' for some reason. It's very very scary once you feel normal again.

Although I think it's possible that this kind of thing could happen in rare cases I do think this story doesn't add up and it's being used as an excuse - horrendous all round.

 

[therower]

@BeccyB . Thanks for posting, I was beginning to think I was the only one who had experienced “ rage hypos”.
The scariest part for me was knowing I was going hypo and that the sugar wasn’t going to kick in quick enough. The fear of what was going to happen in that brief moment in time was frightening.
I’ve been thinking about it today and I feel that maybe my rage was down to my own failure to be in control. Macho man he no need help kinda syndrome. Unfortunately macho man gonna need big help pretty soon. All this probably didn’t help..
Just to put the record straight me and my wonderful wife are still together and I love her full stop.
As for the guy in the article, sadly it seems he is using the diabetes as an excuse.

 

[Robinredbreast]

@BeccyB . Thanks for posting, I was beginning to think I was the only one who had experienced “ rage hypos”.
The scariest part for me was knowing I was going hypo and that the sugar wasn’t going to kick in quick enough. The fear of what was going to happen in that brief moment in time was frightening.
I’ve been thinking about it today and I feel that maybe my rage was down to my own failure to be in control. Macho man he no need help kinda syndrome. Unfortunately macho man gonna need big help pretty soon. All this probably didn’t help..
Just to put the record straight me and my wonderful wife are still together and I love her full stop.
As for the guy in the article, sadly it seems he is using the diabetes as an excuse.

When I have had a low hypo, I am often emotional and start to get tearful and tell my daughter I love her so much and I get all mushy over her. But, sometimes I feel quite annoyed about things in general, and feel 'cross' but I have never shown any violence to anyone.

 

[therower]

When I have had a low hypo, I often emotional and start to get tearful and tell my daughter I love her so much and I get all mushy over her. But, sometimes I feel quite annoyed about things in general, and feel 'cross' but I have never shown any violence to anyone.

Just proves what we already know...... every low hypo is unique in how it affects us......and “ us “ are all unique.
Have had hypos at the most awkward times, which have been hilarious from start to finish. A Mars a day helps you work , rest and......well I’ll leave that to your imagination.