DW. had an unsettled childhood. Aged five his parents separated. He had one sister and there were stepbrothers and stepsisters.The Report says little about them or the stepfather. The mother is the important figure.
Aged 9 he is referred for headaches. He was noted to be glue sniffing. He leaves school without qualifications, entering a youth training scheme and then to short term manual work. From aged fifteen he is known to be using street drugs - amphetamine, cannabis, and later ecstacy and heroin.
Aged seventeen, he sees his family dictor for 'lethargy' and 'head banging' is noted . He is referred to a psychiatric out-patient but does not go.
Aged eighteen he is found a Council flat - oddly - because nobody thinks he will manage to be independent, or be able to look after his money. The family help him move in. At the same time his mother moves elsewhere locally - and does not tell him where. He finds out where and attends thrice daily for meals. He fails to manage himself.
He stands out in bizarre dress - German and Canadian soldier clothes, sometimes wearing satin shorts over his shell trousers.
A year later he is before the Court - for trespassing with an offensive weapon - not described; and again a year later is before the Court - for carrying an offensive weapon in public, and for trespassing, as above. He is given a conditional discharge and then an eighty hour community service. His family doctor notes at this time he is over-sensitive, panics, and is unhappy. He is referred to the community mental health nurse Service but cannot be found.
Later that year his mother contacts the Service directly. She is frightened about the behaviour and attitude of her son - he is wild sometimes , will kill himself or her. The family doctor notes ... paranoid, hearing voices, and has a distorted feeling of self. In a domiciliary second opinion the psychiatrist sees him as an abnormal personality , anti-social with drug misuse. An anti-psychotic medication is prescribed, and a follow-up appointment sent which is not taken. There is no community follow up.
Two years later his mother reports to the family doctor - he is grimacing, and talking to himself, has mood swings, is obsessively clean, talks of bizarre idas, leaves gas and pans unattended, and believes his mother can read his thoughts.
The psychiatrist calls twice, a CPN several times - but he is never there.
Later in the year he is in police custody for altering prescriptions to obtain anabolic drugs and for striking his mother, is assessed there and diverted to hospital mental health services.
The first hospital admission.
On the way the police call at his house and remove weapons - large pieces of wood, an ice pick and a large metal hook. A urine sample is weakly +ve for cannabis - nothing else.The consultant diagnoses schizophrenia.
The Probation Officer to the Court calls a 'Potentially Dangerous Offender' meeting attended by the police , probation , and social services. Health does not attend.
The meeting concludes ... a manipulative fantasy of killing people, a threat to mother and to staff especialy women - advised mother has a 'panic alarm'. He is to stay on the Potentially Dangerous Offender Register. The Consultant psychiatrist, family doctor, and ward manager are informed. Police and mother to be informed if he is off ward.
He is placed on the Supervision Register - the ASW to lead - and a month later he is discharged.
He did not accept that he was ill. He would not medicate.
Three months later he is re-admitted on a Mental Health Act Section 2 - an observation Order covering twenty-eight days detention.That ends, and he discharges himself against advice
Another
' Potentially Dangerous Offender' meeting takes place and it is decided that DW will be 'charged' if he ever offends again - ( a Court Mental Health Act Order would then be an option ] - and he will not again be diverted again before that. top