Son held over killing of blind woman, 100

Neighbours say disabled ex-taxi driver was devoted to caring for his mother

A 100-year-old woman was found stabbed to death at her home yesterday. Hannah Fitzgibbon, who was partially sighted, was discovered with a single stab wound to her neck at her bungalow in Whitechapel, east London.

Her son Michael, 61, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and remained in police custody last night.

Neighbours decribed Mrs Fitzgibbon as a true "East End girl", who marked her centenary last September with a party attended by a large gathering of friends and relatives. Several of her children flew in from New Zealand and Australia for the occasion.

"I found her very nice, a lovely lady. She had all her marbles and she never had a wrinkle on her face," said Irene Robinson, 75, one of Mrs Fitzgibbon's neighbours. " I never realised she was that old. She was a good Catholic who came from the East End."

A friend of Mrs Fitzgibbon, who gave her name only as Julia, 74, added: "She was a lovely lady. Her telegram from the Queen took pride of place on her cabinet in the lounge. I last saw her a couple of weeks ago and she seemed fine. They were a lovely family and she has lived here for more than 10 years."

Mrs Fitzgibbon, who was registered blind, was cared for constantly by her son Michael, who slept in the living room of the one-bedroom bungalow. Neighbours said Mr Fitzgibbon had been a taxi driver until he suffered a stroke two years ago which left him partially disabled. Despite his condition, he continued to care for his mother.

A friend, who gave his name as Terry, said: "Michael loved his mother so much and was completely devoted to her. He is such nice man – an absolute diamond. He should have had help. He had to do everything, put her to bed, get her up. It was terrible. They took him away in handcuffs."

Police and paramedics were called to the house in Hainton Street at 9.45am following after reports of the stabbing. "They discovered a 100-year-old female suffering from a single stab wound to the neck," said a spokesman for Scotland Yard. "She was pronounced dead at the scene. The next of kin have been informed. A 61-year-old man has been arrested and is currently in custody."

Regulars at the nearby Hungerford Arms described Mr Fitzgibbon as "a lovely man" but said he had appeared "distressed" when he had turned up for a drink on Tuesday night. Some suggested that he might have been on medication for depression.

Mrs Fitzgibbon is believed to have been born in Stepney in 1909, and married her husband Joseph in 1935. The couple had eight children, three of whom died young, including twins. Mr Fitzgibbon, thought to have been a dock worker, died 16 years ago.