Sentence for Nottingham killer?

The word he would 'probably' stay in a mental hospital for the rest of his life, does not mean he will and there lies the problem.

If he should be cured whilst in prison he would no longer be a danger to the public. He committed the killings because of his illness. However the experts said that his form of mental illness was not curable, hence the judge said he would probably spend the rest of his life in prison. But of course a cure may be found in the years to come. This case is not comparable with multiple murders committed by someone who was not suffering from this illness. So no, WonderfulLife, therein does not lie the problem - or you would be sentencing someone to incarceration for life for being ill.

I would however be interested in the statistics on murders by men with schizophrenia and women with schizophrenia . I wonder if there is a difference.

I am more interested to know what research is under way and government funded to find the reasons for schizophrenia and to find a cure. I think oxygen deprivation at birth may be one factor.

My closest friend has a form of schizophrenia, her voices are directed against herself not others. I have over the years heard lots of theories, none of which seemed particularly helpful.

I hope the Attorney General and, if necessary, the Court of Appeal will consider the referral carefully. The Judge in the case has heard all the evidence which we have not.

Psychiatric illness is still poorly understood despite years of research. Diagnosis is a blunt instrument, individuals’ diagnoses are changed over the course of their lives, so that some people have a medical record which includes almost every diagnosis there is at different times. Medication only controls and dulls the symptoms, if does not work in exactly the same way as medication for physical illnesses. I think hoping for a ‘cure’ for something like schizophrenia is unrealistic. Of course, most people with that diagnosis may hopefully find that a holistic approach including different medical and psychological treatments will enable them to manage and live with their condition and achieve a positive life.

I think that this man is undoubtedly mentally very unwell, but it is very unusual (thankfully) for those experiencing psychiatric disorders to exhibit violence and certainly at this horrific level. I do not believe any psychiatrist, however eminent, will ever be able to say that he is safe to be released. The Judge has imposed a Section 41 restriction that means he cannot be released on the say-so of a psychiatrist but must be referred to the Secretary of State for Justice. The reasons for not imposing a ‘hybrid’ Prison Order are set out in the judgement and are convincing - but I fully understand the families’ concerns about the potential risks and their feeling that they have been let down. This horrific event was heartbreaking, and terrifying. My son lives a few hundred yards from where it happened; there but for for the Grace of God.