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Mental health patient accused of knife attacks on two women Mental health patient accused of knife attacks on two women
(about 7 hours later)
A knife-wielding mental health patient attacked two women going to work and killed one of them, the Old Bailey has heard. A knife-wielding mental health patient attacked two women on their way to work and killed one of them, the Old Bailey has heard.
Kerry Clark, 22, managed to fight Nicola Edgington off but Sally Hodkin, 58, died when her neck was cut with a large butcher's knife. Kerry Clark, 22, fought Nicola Edgington off, but Sally Hodkin, 58, died when her neck was cut with a butcher's knife.
Edgington was being cared for in the community and was being monitored by a psychiatrist, nurse and social worker at the time. Edgington, 32, of Greenwich, south-east London, denies murdering law firm accounts manager Hodkin in Bexleyheath, south-east London, in October 2011. She also denies the attempted murder of Clark, who is now 24.
Her condition had deteriorated after she stopped taking her medication, the court heard. Mark Heywood QC, prosecuting, said: "She approached and deliberately and viciously attacked each of them without warning, without any provocation. She used the weapon forcefully and purposefully in each attack. She was controlled and she was rational."
Just hours earlier, she had gone to a hospital – but walked out before she could be admitted as a voluntary inpatient. Heywood added: "This case concerns two murderous attacks in the street with large knives. In each case the intention was to kill. The first victim survived because she fought her attacker off and took the knife away. The second person attacked, although she tried to defend herself with her bare hands, was unable to achieve that. She was overwhelmed. She died almost immediately from the catastrophic injuries inflicted on her."
Edgington, 32, of Greenwich, south-east London, denies murdering law firm accounts manager Hodkin in Bexleyheath, south-east London, in October 2011. Edgington was being cared for in the community and was being monitored by a psychiatrist, nurse and social worker at the time. Her condition had deteriorated after she stopped taking her medication, the court heard. Hours earlier, she had gone to a hospital, but walked out before she could be admitted as an inpatient.
She also denies the attempted murder of Clark, who is now 24.
Mark Heywood QC, prosecuting, said: "She approached and deliberately and viciously attacked each of them without warning, without any provocation.
"She used the weapon forcefully and purposefully in each attack. She was controlled and she was rational."
Heywood added: "This case concerns two murderous attacks in the street with large knives. In each case the intention was to kill.
"The first victim survived because she fought her attacker off and took the knife away.
"The second person attacked, although she tried to defend herself with her bare hands, was unable to achieve that.
"She was overwhelmed. She died almost immediately from the catastrophic injuries inflicted on her."
Heywood said Edgington had walked out of the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Woolwich and taken buses to Bexleyheath.Heywood said Edgington had walked out of the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Woolwich and taken buses to Bexleyheath.
She bought a large knife and attacked Clark, who was forced to the ground and fought for her life as Edgington tried to stab her.She bought a large knife and attacked Clark, who was forced to the ground and fought for her life as Edgington tried to stab her.
Edgington fled after Clark fought her off but she picked up an even larger knife from a butcher's shop, the court heard.Edgington fled after Clark fought her off but she picked up an even larger knife from a butcher's shop, the court heard.
Heywood said: "With it, she went on until she found another lady. She set upon her with the bigger knife, attacking her with such sustained force that her neck was cut completely open."Heywood said: "With it, she went on until she found another lady. She set upon her with the bigger knife, attacking her with such sustained force that her neck was cut completely open."
Edgington says her responsibility was diminished because of her mental state. Edgington says her responsibility was diminished because of her mental state, but the prosecution rejects the claim, saying she acted deliberately, intending to kill. Heywood said she was treated as an inpatient by the Oxleas Trust and was treated for schizophrenia with emotionally unstable personality traits. The prosecution now says she suffers from a borderline personality disorder and her mental state is variable.
But the prosecution rejects the claim, saying she acted deliberately, intending to kill.
Heywood said she was treated as an inpatient by the Oxleas Trust and was treated for schizophrenia with emotionally unstable personality traits.
The prosecution now says she suffers from a borderline personality disorder and her mental state is variable.
From September 2009, she was living in a supported flat and, by October 2011, she was under the care of the Bracton Centre and was reviewed regularly by a consultant psychiatrist, social supervisor and community psychiatric nurse.From September 2009, she was living in a supported flat and, by October 2011, she was under the care of the Bracton Centre and was reviewed regularly by a consultant psychiatrist, social supervisor and community psychiatric nurse.
The trial continues.The trial continues.