A WOMAN who killed her son in Dorset 16 years ago was plagued by guilt and took her own life.

Tara O’Connell, 42, strangled her 10-year-old son Nathan Beale with a silk scarf in 1995, believing he was trying to poison her.

She was found dead at her home in Suffolk Avenue, Southampton, on December 17 last year, after the alarm was raised by surviving son Jacob.

PC Gavin Williams told the court that Jacob feared for his mother’s welfare after receiving a call from her the day before during which she said “she had no reason to live anymore and was talking about her other son”.

In June 1996 Miss O’Connell, who also went by the names of Tara Beale and Tara Maguire, was detained indefinitely at a secure mental health hospital after admitting to the manslaughter of Nathan on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The 10-year-old, who was described as a polite little boy who loved fishing and boats, was found dead in their Wareham home by workmen after his mum was seen running into the street screaming, on September 13, 1995.

Speaking at her sentencing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Dr John Stone, the consultant in charge of the her case, told the court: “Given Miss Beale’s upbringing I would be surprised if she didn’t have a personality disorder.”

Nathan’s death came just four months after both her sons were returned to her following a four-month stint in hospital after a suicide attempt and the breakdown of a long-term relationship.

Southampton Coroner’s Court was told that doctors believed she “would make a full recovery”.

An independent review of Nathan’s case concluded at the time that there was no “indication” that he was at risk.

She was discharged from Ravenswood mental health unit in Fareham in December 2003 and up until 2010 doctors believed she was “doing very well” despite suffering from schizoaffective disorder.

But in a letter to the coroner, her GP Angela Wallace stated that in January and May 2011 Miss O’Connell tried to kill herself. Dr Wallace said the mother had blamed the January 2011 attempt on “the guilt of killing her son and at the time she felt she had a difficult relationship with her surviving son”.

The court was also told that Miss O’Connell had a long history of mental health problems.

Coroner Gordon Densen concluded that Miss O’Connell took her own life and that the phone call to her son had “indicated her intentions”.