Boy freed in time for Christmas . . . and the man who’ll miss his 18th
LEO ANDRADE can enjoy Christmas this year after her autistic son Stephen was freed earlier this month following six years of incarceration. ‘You can see how happy he is from his eyes – but there is still so much trauma after spending so long in those horrible place,’ she said.
Stephen, 23, was a fit teenager when he was sectioned four days before Christmas in 2012. ‘It was the worst time imaginable,’ said Leo, whose younger son Josh, 11, is also autistic. ‘We’ve not celebrated Christmas since then.’
While in secure psychiatric units, Stephen was heavily drugged and started selfharming. ‘He suffered panic attacks every ten minutes in the first week he was out but he’s been brilliant these last few days, although you can see he is still afraid.’
Islington Council in North London found him a flat and funded support staff. ‘There’s a long way to go but I can’t tell you of my joy,’ said Leo. Her happiness is in stark contrast to the suffering of Roy and Pam Hickmott, who are steeling themselves for their 18th Christmas away from their autistic son Tony.
The couple will make the 180-mile round trip tomorrow from their home in Brighton to see Tony, 41, in Cedar House, a 40-bed secure unit near Canterbury. Pam said it was ‘so sad’ to visit him at this time of year amid all the festivities.
‘I can’t even put decorations up because I find it so distressing with my son not here,’ she said.