Coroner reveals missed opportunities to stop mentally ill man from stabbing his elderly parents more than 100 times with a bayonet during psychotic frenzy
A coroner has highlighted a string of failings in the care of a mentally-ill man who slaughtered his elderly parents – and called for ‘urgent action’ to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.
A coroner has highlighted a string of failings in the care of a mentally-ill man who slaughtered his elderly parents – and called for ‘urgent action’ to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.
James Andrews, known as Duncan, was first given an ‘urgent referral’ by his GP in November 2020 – but it was followed by ‘significant time lapses’ in treatment and ‘rejection of referrals’.
This was despite Andrews telling of hearing voices in his head – and, in April 2022, him reporting how he was having a ‘serious psychotic episode’ where he ‘thought he was going to kill someone’.
A coroner has highlighted a string of failings in the care of a mentally-ill man who slaughtered his elderly parents. James Andrews, known as Duncan (pictured), was first given an ‘urgent referral’ by his GP in November 2020
Bryan, 79, and Mary Andrews, 76, were killed by their son who stabbed his father nine times and his mother 82 times while suffering a psychotic, hallucinatory episode
On November 27, 2022, Andrews, now 53, struck at the home of his parents Bryan, 79, and Mary, 76, in Totley, Sheffield, stabbing his father nine times and his mother 82 times while suffering a psychotic, hallucinatory episode.
Police found Andrews standing on the stairs ‘covered in blood’ and holding a knife, having stabbed himself in the stomach, and told officers: ‘I’ve just killed my mum and dad’.
He earlier told paramedics he had been hearing voices for 14 months and that ‘God had told him to do what he had done.’
Andrews was detained indefinitely in July last year under the Mental Health Act after admitting manslaughter due to diminished responsibility at Sheffield Crown Court.
A Prevention of Future Deaths report looking at the killings of Mr and Mrs Andrews has now been written by Coroner Tanyka Rawden.
Police found Andrews standing on the stairs ‘covered in blood’ and holding a knife, having stabbed himself in the stomach, and told officers: ‘I’ve just killed my mum and dad’. Andrews mum, Mary is pictured
Bryan and Mary Andrews were found dead on November 27 2022 in their home in Sheffield
She has written to Sheffield Health and Social Care (SHSC) NHS Foundation Trust – which runs mental health provision in the South Yorkshire city - identifying over half a dozen concerns, saying: ‘In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken.’
Mrs Rawden said failings included the ‘lack of communication between services about the relationship between diagnosis of epilepsy and psychotic symptoms experienced by the person responsible for the deaths’.
The earlier criminal case heard epilepsy medication may have made him more susceptible to mental health issues.
An urgent referral for higher-level treatment was made by Andrews’ GP in November 2020 after he reported suicidal thoughts – which was rejected with the surgery advised to assess him via its mental health nurse.
Andrews was later referred to a specialist team – but after he contacted them in April 2022 fearing he was going to kill someone, he was referred for home treatment, with his consultant neurologist not informed.
On May 3, 2022, a trial of anti-psychotic medication was discussed but a review of whether it was suitable to prescribe with Andrews’ epilepsy medication was not carried out.
Andrews was detained indefinitely in July last year under the Mental Health Act after admitting manslaughter due to diminished responsibility at Sheffield Crown Court
A day later, a referral to an Early Intervention Service was rejected as ‘not meeting the criteria for first episode psychosis, despite clear evidence of psychosis’, Mrs Rawden said.
An email on May 5 referring Andrews to (SHSC’s) Emotional Wellbeing Service was sent to an address not manned daily. When a response was eventually provided, it was unclear whether he had been taken on.
One team which discharged him on May 9 did not send details to Andrews’ GP.
And another opportunity to help Andrews was missed on October 4, 2022, when a GP’s report highlighting ‘paranoia, delusional tendencies and suicidal ideas’ was treated as a ‘routine referral’ by mental health clinicians.
Mrs Rawden, who issued unlawful killing verdicts for Andrews’ parents, said the referral did not take place until November 22.
During Andrews’ prosecution at Sheffield Crown Court, it was said there had been concerns for Andrews health in the lead up to the killings and had told how he was ‘scared he might harm others’.
The prosecution said one of Andrews’ sisters noticed him at his parents’ home days before the killings in ‘agitated’ state with a ‘knife in a sheet’, which she ‘took away from him.’
Andrews’ sisters Lucy and Sally said he was ‘let down’ by the authorities for more than a year and believed their parents would still be alive if the mental health team had diagnosed and treated him earlier.
They said Andrews was ‘failed by the system’ and the family were victims of ‘broken health and social services.’
