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Christina Edkins killing: Man pleads guilty to stabbing schoolgirl Christina Edkins killing: man pleads guilty to stabbing schoolgirl on bus
(about 2 hours later)
A man with mental health issues has admitted stabbing a schoolgirl to death on a crowded bus as she travelled to school.A man with mental health issues has admitted stabbing a schoolgirl to death on a crowded bus as she travelled to school.
Phillip Simelane, 23, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 16-year-old Christina Edkins in a random attack as she sat on the top deck of the bus during the morning rush hour.Phillip Simelane, 23, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 16-year-old Christina Edkins in a random attack as she sat on the top deck of the bus during the morning rush hour.
Simelane, from Walsall in the West Midlands, was arrested five hours after the attack, which took place as Christina travelled to Leasowes high school in Halesowen on 7 March this year. Simelane was sentenced to be detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act. Police said they considered it "highly unlikely" that he would ever be deemed fit to be freed.
A doctor and paramedics from West Midlands ambulance service tried to resuscitate Christina but she was pronounced dead at the scene. A post mortem found that the girl had died of a single stab wound to the chest. Simelane, from Walsall in the West Midlands, was arrested five hours after the attack, which took place as Christina travelled to Leasowes high school in Halesowen on 7 March.
A doctor and paramedics from West Midlands ambulance service tried to resuscitate Christina but she was pronounced dead at the scene. A postmortem found that she had died of a single stab wound to the chest.
Since the attack, Simelane has spent time in a secure unit where he has undergone psychiatric assessment.Since the attack, Simelane has spent time in a secure unit where he has undergone psychiatric assessment.
At the time Christina's parents paid tribute to a "bubbly, beautiful and intelligent" teenager. At the time, Christina's parents paid tribute to a "bubbly, beautiful and intelligent" teenager.
"Our world has been torn apart by the loss of our beautiful princess," said Jason and Kathleen Edkins. "It's hard to describe the pain we're all feeling. Her family and friends will remember her as an amazing individual with her whole life ahead of her, a life that was tragically cut short on that Thursday morning. Our lives will never be the same again.""Our world has been torn apart by the loss of our beautiful princess," said Jason and Kathleen Edkins. "It's hard to describe the pain we're all feeling. Her family and friends will remember her as an amazing individual with her whole life ahead of her, a life that was tragically cut short on that Thursday morning. Our lives will never be the same again."
They said Christina was studying hard for exams and looking forward to her school prom before she was killed. "We'd bought Christina's prom dress the week before and recall the day she tried it on; she looked like a princess. They said Christina was studying hard for exams and looking forward to her school prom before she was killed. "We'd bought Christina's prom dress the week before and recall the day she tried it on; she looked like a princess. She was our princess," they said.
She was our princess," they said.
West Midlands police have previously described the attack as "horrific and random".West Midlands police have previously described the attack as "horrific and random".
Simelane admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.Simelane admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Doctors recently diagnosed him as having paranoid schizophrenia and say he may have had the condition since he was 13.Doctors recently diagnosed him as having paranoid schizophrenia and say he may have had the condition since he was 13.
It can be reported now that Simelane had been released unsupervised from prison despite warning signs his mental health. The killing has led to questions about how he was dealt with after his release and a series of reviews have been launched. It can be reported now that Simelane had been released unsupervised from prison despite warning signs about his mental health. The killing has led to questions about how he was dealt with after his release and a series of reviews have been launched.
In 2012 Simelane served 101 days in prison for pointing a knife at his mother's stomach and threatening to stab her. During his arrest he punched a police officer. In 2012, Simelane served 101 days in prison for pointing a knife at his mother's stomach and threatening to stab her. During his arrest he punched a police officer.
He was out of prison for just seven days before being sent back in October 2012 after being found with cocaine and interfering with a vehicle.He was out of prison for just seven days before being sent back in October 2012 after being found with cocaine and interfering with a vehicle.
But because the vehicle and drug offences listed on the indictment were "minor", there was no plan put in place to monitor Simelane after he left prison in December 2012. This was even though during his time in prison warning "markers" about potential mental health issues were put on his police national computer file, flagging up concerns about suicide and self-harming, violence and weapons. But because the vehicle and drug offences listed on the indictment were classed as minor, there was no plan put in place to monitor Simelane after he left prison in December 2012. This was even though warning "markers" about potential mental health issues had been put on his police national computer file during his time in prison, flagging up concerns about suicide and self-harming, violence and weapons.
Superintendent Richard Baker, who initially led the murder investigation, said "a number of reviews" were now going on to determine what, if anything, could have been done to intervene in Simelane's case before he carried out his deadly attack. Superintendent Richard Baker, who initially led the murder investigation, said a number of reviews were continuing to determine what, if anything, could have been done to intervene in Simelane's case before he carried out his deadly attack.
Separate reviews are being completed by the police, the prison service and the Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. Separate reviews are being completed by the police, the prison service and the Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS foundation trust.
Baker said: "All the agencies in the management of Phillip Simelane are currently undergoing independent reviews to sort out what support he had."Baker said: "All the agencies in the management of Phillip Simelane are currently undergoing independent reviews to sort out what support he had."
Christina's great uncle, Chris Melia said Christina would still be alive if Simelane had been properly supervised, claiming instead that he had been allowed to simply drop off the radar of all the relevant agencies. Christina's great-uncle Chris Melia said Christina would still be alive if Simelane had been properly supervised, claiming instead that he had been allowed to drop off the radar of all the relevant agencies.
"As we understand it, it had been said by some mental health experts that he should receive some support and help or monitoring when back in the community and it just didn't happen," said Melia."As we understand it, it had been said by some mental health experts that he should receive some support and help or monitoring when back in the community and it just didn't happen," said Melia.
"The fact he had been identified as someone who needed help, seems to have been totally lost. There apparently are some inquiries ongoing which will come up with information as to what happened and more importantly what should happen in future to prevent reoccurrence." "The fact he had been identified as someone who needed help seems to have been totally lost. There apparently are some inquiries ongoing which will come up with information as to what happened and more importantly what should happen in future to prevent reoccurrence."
Simelane's lifestyle shortly before the killing had been difficult to establish, although he was unemployed and sleeping rough. As a youngster he had emigrated from Swaziland to England with his mother and siblings, leaving his natural father behind. Simelane's lifestyle shortly before the killing has been difficult to establish, although he was unemployed and sleeping rough. As a youngster he had emigrated from Swaziland to England with his mother and siblings, leaving his natural father behind.
The family moved to Walsall in the West Midlands, and although he attended school he was not a regular in classes by the time he was 14, amid accusations he was being bullied. He first came to the attention of the police aged 14. The family moved to Walsall, and although he attended school he was not a regular in classes by the time he was 14, amid claims he was being bullied. He first came to the attention of the police aged 14.
His mother told police that at this time she saw a decline in her son's mental health. He became isolated, did not wash and rarely left his room.His mother told police that at this time she saw a decline in her son's mental health. He became isolated, did not wash and rarely left his room.
He would not accept he had a problem. In recent years his mother had lately lived in fear of her son, and would refuse to come out of her house when he came around asking for money instead "handing it to him through an open window". He would not accept he had a problem. In recent years his mother had lived in fear of her son, and would refuse to come out of her house when he came around asking for money, instead "handing it to him through an open window".
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