Coroners ruled a man with schizophrenia unlawfully killed a hotel worker, citing systemic failures in managing his condition.

A coroner ruled that Stephen Cole, a man with schizophrenia who was unmedicated after his release from prison, unlawfully killed Marta Elena Vento, a 27-year-old hotel worker in Bournemouth, UK, in December 2020. Cole, 32, attacked Vento with hair clippers during a psychotic episode. The coroner highlighted systemic failures by prison and police, who did not ensure Cole received necessary medication or managed his risks as a registered sex offender. Cole pleaded guilty to manslaughter and is detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act.

February 28, 2025
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