Agencies pledge to learn from triple killings

Police and health leaders are reflecting on inquest findings which said failures by agencies contributed to the killing of a pair of elderly twins and another elderly man by a man suffering a psychotic episode, agency bosses say.

Anthony Payne, 80, and Dick and Roger Carter, 84, were attacked by Alexander Lewis-Ranwell in Exeter, Devon, in 2019.

An inquest jury criticised a failure to carry out a mental health assessment on Lewis-Ranwell and failures by police to understand powers to detain him under the Mental Health Act.

Devon and Cornwall Police Assistant Chief Constable Nikki Leaper said the force was addressing "areas of learning and change" and accepted" the jury's findings.

Lewis-Ranwell had been arrested twice in the two days before he killed the elderly men at their homes.

The inquest heard one police officer saying Lewis-Ranwell was "one of the most mentally unwell individuals I can remember encountering".

Leaper said: "We continue to make every possible effort to ensure the security and safety of any member of the public admitted into police custody, including during their detention and release."

She added: "We acknowledge and accept the findings of the jury and will take time to reflect on each of the matters raised in detail."

A spokesperson from the Devon Partnership NHS Trust said the organisation would reflect on the jury's conclusions.

"We remain committed to continuous learning and ensuring that improvements are embedded in our systems and practice," they said.

The Carter family has called for "meaningful, lasting changes across all the organisations involved" and said there should be a national review of guidance and training on mental health issues in police custody.

The jury had also found "systemic failures of both Devon County Council and Devon Partnership Trust" relating to the policies and practices around referring detainees for mental health act assessments.

A Devon County Council spokesperson said it had acted on the findings of a review after the men's deaths.

They added the inquest "highlighted additional learning, and we have taken further action, including a briefing for approved mental health practitioners and strengthening guidance around referrals, decision-making and record-keeping".

The council's wider review "will also strengthen management oversight, audit and learning to support consistent practice", they said.

A claim of negligence Lewis-Ranwell brought against public authorities in Devon, including the county council, was struck out before the Supreme Court, the spokesperson said.

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