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Tenerife murder victim's daughters meet killer's family | Tenerife murder victim's daughters meet killer's family |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Two sisters whose mother was beheaded by a man with paranoid schizophrenia in a supermarket on Tenerife have met his family in north Wales. | Two sisters whose mother was beheaded by a man with paranoid schizophrenia in a supermarket on Tenerife have met his family in north Wales. |
Bulgarian Deyan Deyanov, 29, killed Jennifer Mills-Westley, 60, from Norwich, in 2011. | Bulgarian Deyan Deyanov, 29, killed Jennifer Mills-Westley, 60, from Norwich, in 2011. |
He was treated at a Denbighshire hospital in 2010 but the sisters said they have not been able to view the inquiry into his care. | |
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said its inquiries were continuing. | Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said its inquiries were continuing. |
Deyanov was sectioned under the Mental Health Act and detained at Glan Clwyd Hospital in summer 2010, but travelled to the Spanish island after he was released that October. | Deyanov was sectioned under the Mental Health Act and detained at Glan Clwyd Hospital in summer 2010, but travelled to the Spanish island after he was released that October. |
He murdered Mrs Mills-Westley, 60, in May 2011 while she was shopping in the resort of Los Christianos. | |
Deyanov, a drifter who believed he was Jesus Christ and heard voices commanding him to kill, had been living rough and taking drugs in a derelict building on a nearby beach. | |
After a series of random violent attacks in January 2011, he was committed to a Tenerife psychiatric unit but released on bail the following month. Days before the killing a warrant was issued for his arrest. | |
After his conviction and sentence to 20 years in a secure psychiatric unit, Samantha Mills-Westley, 39, and her sister Sarah, 43, criticised the authorities in north Wales for their handling of Deyanov and demanded an independent review. | After his conviction and sentence to 20 years in a secure psychiatric unit, Samantha Mills-Westley, 39, and her sister Sarah, 43, criticised the authorities in north Wales for their handling of Deyanov and demanded an independent review. |
The sisters met Deyanov's aunt in north Wales to ask if he had received the right care. | The sisters met Deyanov's aunt in north Wales to ask if he had received the right care. |
Samantha Mills-Westley told the Channel 4 programme Dispatches: "When he first got admitted, he was relatively well-behaved, even though he was showing signs of having schizophrenic episodes, of talking to people who didn't exist. Telling his aunty that he was God. | |
"The second time he was admitted, she said that his behaviour had really become incredibly erratic. That he was becoming violent." | "The second time he was admitted, she said that his behaviour had really become incredibly erratic. That he was becoming violent." |
Her sister added:"It appears that Deyanov left the hospital without a treatment plan and that the family had no idea that a) he had been released or that b) there was a mechanism of support that should have been released with him. | |
"It was really up to him to sort himself out. | |
"We still haven't got justice for our mum, and what's really important for us now as a family is an independent review." | "We still haven't got justice for our mum, and what's really important for us now as a family is an independent review." |
The sisters said they know that the health board conducted an inquiry into Deyanov's care but they have been refused access to it. | |
They were told in a letter that "lessons have been learnt" but not what the lessons were because of patient confidentiality. | |
Ms Sarah Mills-Westley said: "I now have to sit and write a letter to the man who beheaded my mother asking him for his permission to have access to his medical records. | |
"Bearing in mind I saw him in court, he is clearly delusional, he's still hearing voices, he's a very sick man. | "Bearing in mind I saw him in court, he is clearly delusional, he's still hearing voices, he's a very sick man. |
"And after the brutality of that attack against my mother he still has more rights than I do as a victim, and the rest of our family. That cannot be right." | "And after the brutality of that attack against my mother he still has more rights than I do as a victim, and the rest of our family. That cannot be right." |
Betsi Cadwaldadr University Health Board told the programme it was "naturally deeply sympathetic to the predicament of the family... and fully understands their desire to seek answers". | Betsi Cadwaldadr University Health Board told the programme it was "naturally deeply sympathetic to the predicament of the family... and fully understands their desire to seek answers". |
The board said detailed investigations into Deyanov's treatment are continuing and it would be premature to offer comment. | |
A spokesperson said: "Any response we are able to provide is, in any event, likely to be limited due to confidentiality restrictions imposed on us under the Data Protection Act. | |
"However, we can state categorically that the decision to discharge Mr Deyanov was in no way influenced by issues of funding or shortages of beds." | "However, we can state categorically that the decision to discharge Mr Deyanov was in no way influenced by issues of funding or shortages of beds." |
Dispatches is on Channel 4 at 20:00 BST on Monday 13 May. | Dispatches is on Channel 4 at 20:00 BST on Monday 13 May. |
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