A woman from Devizes has been sentenced to eight years in prison after admitting manslaughter in the death of her 86-year-old mother on Christmas Day. Stefania Glowka, 64, strangled her mother, Tamara Glowka at their home on Keepers Road, an incident reported to Wiltshire Police shortly after 8.10am on 25 December 2025.
Trial Outcome
Following a seven-day jury trial at Bristol Crown Court, Stefania Glowka was acquitted of murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility. She must serve two-thirds of her eight-year sentence behind bars.
Police Response
Police arrived at the scene after the initial 999 call, where Tamara Glowka was found deceased. Stefania was arrested and treated for non-life-threatening injuries following an attempt to harm herself. She was then remanded into custody.
Motivation Revealed
In a police interview, Stefania admitted to killing her mother, citing her inability to continue providing care for Tamara, who suffered from multiple physical and mental health challenges. She stated she “thought it would be nice to die on the same day.”
Investigation Tribute
“This is an incredibly sad incident in which an elderly woman has lost her life on Christmas morning. I’d like to thank and pay tribute to all the officers who attended this incident, as well as the various staff from our partner agencies. It can’t have been easy on a day which revolves around family, but they dealt with this incident with the usual professionalism, care and diligence.”– DS Chris Hughes, Major Crime Investigation Team
