Claire Colebourn: Hampshire mum facing lengthy jail sentence for drowning daughter Bethan in bath

A former teacher who drowned her three-year-old daughter in a bath when her marriage broke down is to be sentenced.
By Kieran Davey
Published 18th Mar 2019, 09:59 BST
Updated 18th Mar 2019, 10:01 BST
Claire Colebourn (right) was found guilty of killing her daughter Bethan. Pictures: Hampshire Constabulary/PAClaire Colebourn (right) was found guilty of killing her daughter Bethan. Pictures: Hampshire Constabulary/PA
Claire Colebourn (right) was found guilty of killing her daughter Bethan. Pictures: Hampshire Constabulary/PA

Claire Colebourn was found guilty of murder on Friday after a jury returned a unanimous verdict in less than three hours at Winchester Crown Court.

The court heard Colebourn hit ‘rock bottom’ after her high-flying husband Michael ended their 16-year-relationship.

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She woke their daughter Bethan at their home in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, in the early hours of October 19 2017, led her to the bath and held her body under the water before making multiple suicide attempts.

Claire Colebourn (right) was found guilty of killing her daughter Bethan. Pictures: Hampshire Constabulary/PAClaire Colebourn (right) was found guilty of killing her daughter Bethan. Pictures: Hampshire Constabulary/PA
Claire Colebourn (right) was found guilty of killing her daughter Bethan. Pictures: Hampshire Constabulary/PA

The ex-sixth form biology teacher was discovered by her mother about 14 hours later in a diabetic coma.

The 36-year-old is expected to be handed a lengthy prison term when she is sentenced by High Court judge Johannah Cutts QC on Monday.