Hospital order without limit for deluded killer

AMAN who stabbed and hacked his neighbour to death in the wrong belief he was a paedophile who had raped him as a child has been detained indefinitely.

Bristol Crown Court heard Richard Matthews was convinced he was the victim of a child abuse ring when he was aged 10.

And when 39-year-old Paul Wells became his next-door neighbour in Highbridge, Somerset, he accused him of historical abuse and killed him as he sat in his back garden on a summer day.

Though Matthews’ previous behaviour had caused concern to his family and police, he was never referred for mental health treatment, the court heard.

The 45-year-old, of Edithmead Lane, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

He attended his sentencing via video link from Broadmoor Hospital as Judge William Hart handed him an indefinite hospital order.

The judge told him: “Mr Wells had done nothing whatsoever to bring about what happened to him. His death is a tragedy. His family has been deprived of him for ever. He was only 39.”

James Ward, prosecuting, said Matthews had a troubled childhood in which he may have suffered sexual abuse. But he became increasingly agitated and paranoid when Mr Wells became his neighbour, and thought people were trying to hurt him.

The court heard he put up signs about a “paedo” and messaged on social media that his neighbour was a “child murderer”. He also turned his home into a secure control room, from where CCTV cameras monitored both the interior and exterior.

It was in June last year when, concerned that Matthews may have suffered a breakdown, his mother called police and officers visited his home but he did not respond. The court heard that, an ambulance and fire crew then visited him, forced entry and found Matthews agitated.

Ambulance staff took away a knife, visited later, but no concerns were noted. Later that day neighbours then saw Matthews emptying bins outside his home, saying: “That s**t won’t be needing his car anymore”.

He fell to the ground, covered in blood, before banging on doors saying he needed bags to put a body in. Matthews told one onlooker: “I killed him. Take a picture and you’ll get £60,000 if you sell it to the paper. I murdered him and he deserved it.”

It transpired Matthews had walked to Mr Wells’ garden and stabbed him in the neck and body with a homemade spear, Mr Ward said.

Such was his mental health condition that he was ultimately sent to Broadmoor Hospital, but was deemed fit to enter a plea to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Though that plea was accepted by the Crown, in a victim personal statement Mr Wells’ sister-in-law Sarah said his family viewed what happened as murder.

She told the judge: “Paul was amazing, a kind, beautiful soul. He had friends all over the world.

“He has been taken away from us and we miss him so very much.

“Words can’t express the pain and anguish his family has endured.

“It is hard to deal with what happened. He was horrifically murdered... maybe one day Richard Matthews will explain his disgusting actions.”

Several doctors recommended a hospital order without limit, for the public’s protection.

Charles Row, defending, said his client was responding to treatment but there will be “years and years” of treatment to come.