A coroner has warned that the brutal killings of two pensioners could be repeated due to systemic failures by police and health services. Maria Dougan said the deaths of Michael and Marjorie Cawdery, both 83, were 'entirely preventable'.
The couple were attacked at their home in Portadown, County Armagh, in May 2017 by Thomas Scott McEntee, who was suffering from severe mental illness. In the days before the attack, McEntee repeatedly came to the attention of authorities but was not detained. He was later jailed for a minimum of 10 years for manslaughter with diminished responsibility.
Presenting her findings, Ms Dougan criticised police for failing to enact mental health legislation on two occasions that would have taken McEntee to a place of safety. She said health services had also failed to fully evaluate him and exchange information effectively. 'I can't be satisfied that this won't happen again. This must be a catalyst for change,' she said.
The Cawderys' son-in-law, Charles Little, described 'utter chaos' within the police and health service, saying neither had the ability to appreciate how unwell McEntee was. He called for a single mental health trust across Northern Ireland to remove problematic interfaces between organisations, and urged a review of corporate manslaughter laws to hold institutions accountable.
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust accepted the coroner's findings, while the Belfast Trust said it was committed to learning from them. Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton acknowledged the 'stark comments' and said the PSNI had already taken steps to address shortcomings, but more work was needed.
