Tragic mum killed by her partner with 'heavy blow' on first night of family holiday

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A tragic mum who went on a family holiday to the Isle of Man but never came home was killed after suffering a "heavy blow" to the neck from her partner, a coroner has concluded.

Jillian Hughes was visiting the island with members of her family, including her granddaughter and then partner, on Friday, March 29, 2024, but the first night ended in tragedy for the 57-year-old mum of three.

At around 9.20pm, an altercation occurred outside the Palace Hotel on Central Promenade, Douglas. During the incident, Jill was hit by her partner, John Meadows, 53, and later died in hospital.

An inquest into the death of the Kirkby nan, held at the Gerard Majella Courthouse in Liverpool on December 16 heard how the family had been celebrating the Easter weekend with a trip away.

The family had been walking along the promenade outside the Best Western hotel when an altercation took place. Jillian sustained a single blow to the head and fell to the floor. 999 were called and emergency services attended the scene where they found Jillian on the ground, reports the Echo.

She was rushed to Noble’s Hospital in the Isle of Man, where resuscitation attempts were continued but sadly pronounced dead at around 10.28pm. The inquest heard how during the incident Jillian suffered a “heavy blow” to the left side of her neck, after being punched once, just before she became unresponsive and suffered a cardiac arrest.

John Meadows, 53, was previously caged on Friday October 11 for five years and eight months after pleading guilty to manslaughter at Douglas Courthouse.

Coroner André Rebello ruled Jillian had died following an unlawful and dangerous act that caused death. He concluded she died from an unlawful killing following a fatal blow on March 29, 2024, which resulted in her death the same day.

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After her death, Jillian's family paid tribute to her in a moving statement. They said: "Our Jill was one in a million. She was such a happy, sarcastic, hardworking and passionate person."

The statement added: "We want everyone to know that Jill was a well-respected mum of three to Chantelle, Sarah and Megan; also nan to Billy, Georgie and Maiya. Jill was a true diamond who thrived for life. She was liked and loved everywhere she went, her huge smile would light up a room.

"We as a family will never ever be able to come to terms with what has happened, we are all living a complete nightmare. This killing should never have taken place."

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