M ental I llness C oncerns A ll	Mark Longman ( ML ) was treated for schizophrenia which presented to the local mental health services ( in mid-hampshire ) when he was eighteen. He did not initiate attendance for care or treatment of his illness except in irregular contact. His manner could be awkward and seemingly challenging, and this was felt by professional observers to be wilful, and not within the embrace of the illness of schizophrenia. The tag of misbehaviour may have overshone the tag of ill behaviour, and reaction less geared to the latter.The mental health services expected him to turn up, or accepted that he would come to 'breakdown' and then a Mental Healh Act Order would apply and a hospital admission follow. Even then the after-care was largely deskbound. Neither he nor his parents were actively engaged to report progress or difficulty. He presented for admission on several occasios to be turned away; on other occasions he was admitted inappropriately to beds unconnected with the local mental health team. He was only once admitted on a long-term Mental Health Act Treatment Order ( MHA: Sec.3 ) which qualified him ( MHA: Sction 117 ) him for Social Services and Health after-care. He spent nearly one year in prsion. On depot regimes he remained well but either did not turn up and lapsed , or sought and obtained a discontinuation. For the last six months before the event he had no contact with mental health services or with his family doctor. His father never really accepted that the odd behaviour of his son was down to the mental illness schizophrenia. Aged twenty-seven ML threw petrol over his father and killed him. Reviewed	E-mail reaction is welcome mica@didgy.freeserve.co.uk