Family hopes mentally ill man who killed his mum can ‘re-join’ them
THE family of a man who killed his mother during a mental health crisis have said they hope he can recover and re-join them in time.
Gavin Nash, 40, stabbed Lynette, 64, multiple times with a kitchen knife at the home they shared in Portishead in June last year.
Bristol Crown Court heard on Friday that he was in the grip of an “acute psychosis” due to a schizoaffective disorder. He has been sentenced to indefinite detention in a mental health unit.
In a tribute, the family said: “Lyn possessed a loving and kind-hearted spirit. She brought light to our lives and cared for her children with all her heart. As a family, we are lost without her, she was an amazing mother, daughter, and sister.
“It is our hope that our brother, Gavin, will now receive the help which will allow him to recover and manage his mental illness and, in time, re-join us in mourning the loss of our mother.”
Nash was charged with murder but the prosecution accepted his plea of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
Richard Posner, prosecuting, told the court that Nash’s family had been concerned about his deteriorating mental health and sought help from medical professionals.
The day before the killing, his family had dialled 999 and an emergency response mental health team was sent to see him.
That evening, Mrs Nash dialled 999 and told the call handler her son was in crisis, “out of control” and threatening her and her son’s father.
On the day Mrs Nash died, two members of a community mental health team visited Nash to carry out an informal assessment.
“They were concerned about the level of danger that Gavin Nash might pose to the public,” Mr Posner said.
“But they were clear he needed help. The health workers advised the Nash family that if Gavin’s health did deteriorate further, it was an emergency, they should call the police.”
The court heard the fatal attack happened later that afternoon after Nash had fled the family home.
After he returned, Mrs Nash rang her son’s father Stuart to say he was back. As they spoke he attacked her.
“Stuart Nash had to listen to Gavin killing his mother,” Mr Posner said.
A neighbour overhead an argument and then screaming, with the “chilling” audio captured on CCTV.
Nash phoned 999 and said: “I’ve murdered my mother. Police.”
In a victim impact statement, Mr
Nash said there had been “missed opportunities” to treat his son’s illness.
“It’s very difficult not to blame the police officers or the crisis team for the lack of response, and whilst I try not to blame anyone in particular, I can’t help but going over and over, again and again, the missed opportunities that we all missed to save Lynette and Gavin from the horrific outcome,” Mr Nash said.
Nash, of Tansy Lane, Portishead, admitted manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
David Maunder, defending, said the case was a “dreadful tragedy” for everyone involved.
He read a note Nash had written to the judge in which he apologised for his actions.
“Words cannot express how I feel,” Nash wrote. “All I can say is that I’m desperately sorry and I loved my mum. I often think that things could have been different if only I’d remained on my medication. But this is the reality that we as a family are faced with – one without Mum. We are devastated.
“It is very hard to think that you will not be around any more and that that is because of me, even if I was very unwell at the time. Again, I’m sorry and I hope my story can help prevent anything like this happening again.”
Judge Martin Picton imposed orders under sections 37 and 41 of the Mental Health Act which meant Nash would be detained indefinitely in a psychiatric unit and would only be released when safe to do so.
Passing sentence, he described Mrs Nash’s death as “utterly tragic”.
“Your mother loved you, cared for you and wanted to protect and nurture you,” he said.
“Whether and what different decisions should have been made by health professionals and the police who had contact with you in the days leading up to this event will no doubt be a matter of anxious consideration.
“At the very least it is to be hoped lessons will have been learned and nothing can now put right the irreparable damage that has ensued.”