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Argoed inquest: Hostel owner on Cerys Yemm 'horror' killing | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The owner of a hostel where a woman was killed has told an inquest about the moment she walked in on the attack. | |
Prison leaver Matthew Williams was found attacking Cerys Yemm, 22, at the Sirhowy Arms Hotel in Argoed, on 6 November 2014. | Prison leaver Matthew Williams was found attacking Cerys Yemm, 22, at the Sirhowy Arms Hotel in Argoed, on 6 November 2014. |
Williams, 34, was Tasered by police who arrested him and he later died. | Williams, 34, was Tasered by police who arrested him and he later died. |
Mandy Miles told the hearing there was "blood everywhere" and the scene was "like a horror film". | |
She told a 999 operator at the time of the attack that she believed Williams was cannibalising Miss Yemm, but told the inquest she now knows that to be untrue. | |
She said: "His head was down in hers. He didn't react to my voice. I said 'Matthew do you know what your doing?' | |
"My son said 'are you eating her?' Even though science has shown he wasn't - in my mind he was." | |
She added: "There was shouting from the room after police officers went in there. They were shouting 'get down'. | |
"I think Matthew had tried to get out. If he got out he could have killed everyone." | |
Earlier on Wednesday, the inquest was read a statement from Williams' mother Sally Ann Williams, who claimed her son had been released from prison two weeks earlier with no help for his mental health problems. | |
The hearing at Gwent Coroner's Court in Newport was told Williams had spent time in a young offenders' institute aged 15 and when he returned to live with his mother, he was a "nightmare". | The hearing at Gwent Coroner's Court in Newport was told Williams had spent time in a young offenders' institute aged 15 and when he returned to live with his mother, he was a "nightmare". |
She said he was stealing to get money for drugs and was regularly in trouble with police. | She said he was stealing to get money for drugs and was regularly in trouble with police. |
He become paranoid and was eventually diagnosed with drug-induced paranoid schizophrenia. | |
Mrs Williams said she did not think prison was the right place for her son and believed he should have been somewhere his mental health could be managed. | |
Her statement said he was released from prison before the attack without medication and the family tried to get appointments with doctors and a mental health team, but none were made. | Her statement said he was released from prison before the attack without medication and the family tried to get appointments with doctors and a mental health team, but none were made. |
The inquest heard he told his mother he was feeling paranoid and "the voices were back" in the days before the killing. | The inquest heard he told his mother he was feeling paranoid and "the voices were back" in the days before the killing. |
School friend Rhodri Moore told the hearing Williams took amphetamines and mephedrone in the days before the attack and he "didn't seem very well". | School friend Rhodri Moore told the hearing Williams took amphetamines and mephedrone in the days before the attack and he "didn't seem very well". |
He said Williams was having hallucinations, including seeing faces in cans of soft drink. | He said Williams was having hallucinations, including seeing faces in cans of soft drink. |
Mr Moore said Williams and Miss Yemm had a "flirty relationship" together, having met two weeks before, and his friend showed no obvious aggression towards her. | Mr Moore said Williams and Miss Yemm had a "flirty relationship" together, having met two weeks before, and his friend showed no obvious aggression towards her. |
In the hours before the killing, the three smoked cannabis and drank lager before Miss Yemm and Williams went back to the Sirhowy Arms Hotel together. | In the hours before the killing, the three smoked cannabis and drank lager before Miss Yemm and Williams went back to the Sirhowy Arms Hotel together. |
Earlier that night, Williams had been on the phone to Miss Yemm's ex-boyfriend who he knew in prison. | Earlier that night, Williams had been on the phone to Miss Yemm's ex-boyfriend who he knew in prison. |
He said: "I found it strange that he was in jail with her ex-partner and then he comes out and he meets her. I never got the impression that he had come out of prison looking for Cerys." | He said: "I found it strange that he was in jail with her ex-partner and then he comes out and he meets her. I never got the impression that he had come out of prison looking for Cerys." |
A statement from Miss Yemm's mother, Paula Yemm, said her daughter was in what she considered to be a "controlling" relationship with a man called Jay who was in prison with Williams. | A statement from Miss Yemm's mother, Paula Yemm, said her daughter was in what she considered to be a "controlling" relationship with a man called Jay who was in prison with Williams. |
Mrs Yemm said the couple were "planning a life together after he was released" and Jay had warned Miss Yemm to stay away from Williams. | Mrs Yemm said the couple were "planning a life together after he was released" and Jay had warned Miss Yemm to stay away from Williams. |
The inquest is continuing. | The inquest is continuing. |