Accused had been freed from unit

The family of a man accused of a Ka¯ piti murder believe the mental health system failed him.

Sources have confirmed the 48-year-old man was released from a mental health unit days before the Saturday night killing in seaside Paraparaumu.

The man, who has interim name suppression, has been charged with the murder of a Ka¯ piti woman, Irina Scantee, 45.

She was also identified as Irina Czibesz in court documents.

The case was called in the Wellington District Court yesterday morning, where Judge Peter Hobbs remanded the man in custody.

A source well connected to the family told Stuff that after the alleged attack, the man was driving around and injured himself badly.

The man’s brother, who had helped get him into Palmerston North’s acute inpatient mental health unit eight days earlier, was talking to him on the phone and getting him to read street signs while directing emergency services to him.

His family was furious he had been released from the mental health unit.

Though he had a follow-up plan in place it had not been followed, the source said.

He said his thoughts shared by the family.

He understood the Marine Parade property where the alleged murder happened was not related to the pair, who he understood had driven to the seaside to have a talk. Other sources confirmed the man had been in mental health care prior to the incident.

The MidCentral District Health Board said it could not comment because of privacy reasons.

Scantee’s former husband, Val, was among a group that included police and neighbours who attended a blessing yesterday afternoon at the spot she was killed.

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