Inquest: Mother’s stabbing could have been prevented
NARRATIVE VERDICT FINALLY GIVES GRIEVING FAMILY ANSWERS FIVE YEARS AFTER DEATH
A VULNERABLE mother was tragically stabbed to death in supported housing in West London by a man with mental health issues who had previously stabbed himself and had suggested he wanted to kill her.
Bathsheba Shepherd, aged 50, who was known to her family as Kay, was stabbed by Emmanuel Willems in their shared flat in Uxbridge in November 2015.
Five years later, a conclusion into the circumstances of her death has finally been made after an inquest into the killing.
Diagnosed with a range of medical and mental health issues, Ms Shepherd was provided with housing by Hillingdon Accommodation and Floating Support Panel in October 2014. She was assessed as needing floating support from charity Hestia, and support workers were meant to meet with her weekly.
Willems, who also suffered with mental ill health and had a history of drug abuse, moved into the flat several months later.
In the months that followed, there were ongoing issues between the housemates, including rising tension about problems with the boiler which resulted in a lack of heating and hot water.
Willems expressed delusionary thoughts about Ms Shepherd and, following a deterioration in his mental health, he stabbed himself in July 2015.
While in hospital receiving treatment, he disclosed to professionals that he could have stabbed Ms Shepherd instead.
Despite this, and growing evidence that the two were not getting along in the flat, Willems was discharged back to their accommodation where the relationship remained strained.
Over the following months, a care coordinator visited Willems at the flat. He was found in possession of a large kitchen knife, which he kept in his bedroom.
No adequate action was taken relating to this.
In November 2015, Willems fatally stabbed Ms Shepherd in the chest.
After her death, a serious incident investigation was carried out that highlighted a number of concerns.
Willems was found guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility in 2017.
And the findings of an inquest handed down by HM assistant coroner Dr Séan Cummings in September this year, highlight how the stabbing could have been prevented.
In the narrative conclusion made at West London Coroner’s Court, it was said that “had Kay and her housemate not been allocated to live together and had effective risk assessments of them and their relationship been reliably and regularly conducted then she would not have died on that date and or in the manner she did”.
Speaking of the family’s heartache, Robert Adams, Ms Shepherd’s son, said: “This loss under such tragic and preventable circumstances continues to have a profound effect on our family even now, almost five years after her death.
“While we welcome the findings of the earlier serious incident investigation, we still had many unanswered questions about the circumstances which led to what happened.
“The inquest has provided some of those answers and we thank the coroner for his time in producing the subsequent narrative verdict and report for change.
“It is our hope that any lessons learnt and changes that are put in place are shared widely across the NHS, and that no one should suffer as we have in the future.
“We would like to thank everyone who has supported us during this difficult time.”
Public law expert Aimee Brackfield from Simpson Millar, who represented Ms Shepherd’s family at the nine-day inquest, said it had been “extremely difficult” for the family to accept that her death could have been prevented, but that they welcome the coroner’s conclusion as well as reco mme n d a - tions for change that have been made.
She said: “It is their hope that as a result of the investigations that have taken place and the lessons that have been learnt that no one should suffer as they have moving forward.” The coroner will be writing a Prevention of Future Deaths report to be published in the coming weeks. Ms Millar added: “They await the further report from the coroner and hope that any further actions are adopted and embraced by the interested persons, including Central North West London NHS Trust, with urgency.” A spokesman for Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust said: “This case was very shocking and the passing of five years since Kay’s death does not lessen the hurt and anger for her family and friends, whom we are thinking of today. “We apologised for the failings in the risk assessments back then, something we have underlined to all staff who have to make risk-based decisions today, especially where a number of agencies are involved.
“We are truly sorry.”
Charity Hestia was approached for a comment, but none was received at the time of going to press.
This loss under such tragic and preventable circumstances continues to have a profound effect on our family even now Kay’s son, Robert Adams