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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/dec/19/nicola-cross-killer-marcin-porczynski-held-indefinitely-secure-hospital
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| Killer of Nicola Cross to be held indefinitely in secure hospital Killer of Nicola Cross to be held indefinitely in secure hospital | |
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| A man who broke into a family home and stabbed a mother of two to death while she was on the phone to her husband has been given an indefinite hospital order. | A man who broke into a family home and stabbed a mother of two to death while she was on the phone to her husband has been given an indefinite hospital order. |
| Nicola Cross, 37, was killed defending her two small children on the night of 14 September 2015 while her husband was away on business. | Nicola Cross, 37, was killed defending her two small children on the night of 14 September 2015 while her husband was away on business. |
| The terrified mother phoned her husband, Dan, after Marcin Porczyński, a car mechanic who lived a few streets away, smashed his way into the house at about 11.30pm in a psychotic state. | The terrified mother phoned her husband, Dan, after Marcin Porczyński, a car mechanic who lived a few streets away, smashed his way into the house at about 11.30pm in a psychotic state. |
| Last Friday at St Albans crown court he pleaded not guilty to murder, but guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. | Last Friday at St Albans crown court he pleaded not guilty to murder, but guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. |
| It emerged during the police investigation that he had paranoid schizophrenia and had been hearing voices telling him to save children who were being starved. | It emerged during the police investigation that he had paranoid schizophrenia and had been hearing voices telling him to save children who were being starved. |
| After killing Cross, 37, he tried to take her two young children away from the house in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. | After killing Cross, 37, he tried to take her two young children away from the house in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. |
| On Monday, Judge Andrew Bright QC ordered that Porczyński should be detained at Rampton secure hospital in Nottinghamshire under a hospital order with a restriction without limit of time. | On Monday, Judge Andrew Bright QC ordered that Porczyński should be detained at Rampton secure hospital in Nottinghamshire under a hospital order with a restriction without limit of time. |
| Cross’s husband was in court to hear the judge tell Porczyński: “The circumstances in which you killed Nicola Cross were utterly horrific and senseless and represent the worst possible nightmare of every husband and parent. | Cross’s husband was in court to hear the judge tell Porczyński: “The circumstances in which you killed Nicola Cross were utterly horrific and senseless and represent the worst possible nightmare of every husband and parent. |
| “You have devastated the lives of the Cross family and left two young children to grow up without the wonderful mother who so loved and cared for them. | “You have devastated the lives of the Cross family and left two young children to grow up without the wonderful mother who so loved and cared for them. |
| “Those responsible for deciding if and when you should ever be released back into the community will need to look long and hard at the full circumstances of the dreadful killing which your mental illness led you to commit. | “Those responsible for deciding if and when you should ever be released back into the community will need to look long and hard at the full circumstances of the dreadful killing which your mental illness led you to commit. |
| “The paramount consideration which must govern any decision about your release must be the safety of the public. | “The paramount consideration which must govern any decision about your release must be the safety of the public. |
| “You must not be released until those responsible for your care and treatment are completely satisfied that you no longer pose a danger and that you will be subject to qualified medical supervision which will be sufficient to ensure the safety of the public in whichever country you may choose to live.” | “You must not be released until those responsible for your care and treatment are completely satisfied that you no longer pose a danger and that you will be subject to qualified medical supervision which will be sufficient to ensure the safety of the public in whichever country you may choose to live.” |
| On Friday, consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Philip Joseph told the court that Porczyński needed medication for the rest of his life. He may wish to return to Poland but there would need to be assurances that he remained on medication so he did not lapse into psychosis and pose a danger to the public, whether in Poland, in the UK, or any other country in future. | On Friday, consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Philip Joseph told the court that Porczyński needed medication for the rest of his life. He may wish to return to Poland but there would need to be assurances that he remained on medication so he did not lapse into psychosis and pose a danger to the public, whether in Poland, in the UK, or any other country in future. |
| The judge told Porczyński, who appeared via a video link from Rampton: “As you were breaking in, Nicola Cross was on the phone to her husband, Daniel. Although Nicola Cross tried to reason with you and heroically did her best to protect herself and her two young children from you, she was completely defenceless against the vicious knife attack you launched upon her.” | The judge told Porczyński, who appeared via a video link from Rampton: “As you were breaking in, Nicola Cross was on the phone to her husband, Daniel. Although Nicola Cross tried to reason with you and heroically did her best to protect herself and her two young children from you, she was completely defenceless against the vicious knife attack you launched upon her.” |
| Bright said “no one could fail to be deeply moved” by the victim impact statements of Daniel Cross, Nicola Cross’s mother and her sister and “the account they give of the devastating effect which her death had upon each of them and upon the two young children she left behind”. | Bright said “no one could fail to be deeply moved” by the victim impact statements of Daniel Cross, Nicola Cross’s mother and her sister and “the account they give of the devastating effect which her death had upon each of them and upon the two young children she left behind”. |
| He said: “It is plainly necessary for the protection of the public from serious harm to impose a restriction order because there is currently a serious risk that you would commit further offences if set at large.” | He said: “It is plainly necessary for the protection of the public from serious harm to impose a restriction order because there is currently a serious risk that you would commit further offences if set at large.” |