Canarian Weekly
20-02-2015, 12:40
THE 60-year-old woman beheaded in a Spanish supermarket nearly two years ago was powerless to stop the “absolutely abhorrent” attack, an inquest heard this week.
Jennifer Mills-Westley, a retired road-safety worker, was shopping in a Los Cristianos supermarket in the Valdes shopping centre when she was brutally attacked on 13th May, 2011 by Deyan Deyanov.
Her daughter, Sarah Mills-Westley, who sat with other family members at Norfolk Coroner’s Court, Norwich, wept as gruesome details of the horrific incident were read out during the hearing.
Deyan Deyanov, 29, a homeless, drug-addict from Bulgaria, was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia when he attacked Mrs Mills-Westley, who lived on the Port Royale complex in Los Cristianos.
Coroner Jacqueline Lake read out excerpts of the jury’s verdict, saying Ms Mills-Westley, originally from Norwich, had been rendered defenceless by the brutality of the attack.
She added: “Mr Deyanov picked up a ham-slicing knife from a shelf. He attacked her from behind, stabbing her repeatedly in the neck until her head was completely severed.
“He then picked up her severed head and walked outside. Her capacity to react and defend herself, or even run away, was completely impaired by the defendant. He ensured he could kill his victim without any risk to himself.”
Ms Lake said post-mortem reports showed Ms Mill-Westley bled to death. She added that the court found Deyanov had been in an “acute” phase of his schizophrenia at the time, meaning he could not discern reality.
He was later sentenced to 20 years in a secure psychiatric unit in Seville following the attack.
The coroner returned a narrative conclusion that Ms Mills-Westley died after an attack by a person she did not know, from which she could not defend herself. “This was an absolutely abhorrent event,” she said.
The family would not comment as they left the inquest.
Deyanov had previously been admitted to the Ablett psychiatric unit at Glan Clwyd Hospital, Bodelwyddan, near Rhyl, in June 2010, while he stayed at a relative’s home in Flint, Wales.
An independent report, published by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, concluded that there were “clear shortcomings” relating to the care provided in North Wales.
The report noted: “It is difficult to determine how these deficiencies may have directly influenced and led to the events of May 2011.
“However, we do believe that had the issues we identify within the report been addressed, the likelihood of such an incident occurring might have been significantly reduced.”
Sarah and her sister Samantha, said after the report that had staff not missed his serious medical problems, their mother might still be alive today.
They added: “The Health Inspectorate of Wales report has highlighted a number of significant, basic, medical, best-practice failures. These failings are far worse than we had imagined.
“We are shocked to learn that the clearly-prejudicial views of the medical staff severely compromised the diagnosis and, therefore, subsequent treatment of Deyan Deyanov.”
Immediately after the tragedy, Sarah said: “Mum retired a number of years ago and was fully enjoying her retirement, travelling between Tenerife and France, where she spent time visiting her daughter and grandchildren, and her other daughter in Norfolk.
“She was full of life, generous of heart, would do anything for anyone.”
More... (http://www.canarianweekly.com/beheaded-woman-left-powerless-halt-assault/)
Jennifer Mills-Westley, a retired road-safety worker, was shopping in a Los Cristianos supermarket in the Valdes shopping centre when she was brutally attacked on 13th May, 2011 by Deyan Deyanov.
Her daughter, Sarah Mills-Westley, who sat with other family members at Norfolk Coroner’s Court, Norwich, wept as gruesome details of the horrific incident were read out during the hearing.
Deyan Deyanov, 29, a homeless, drug-addict from Bulgaria, was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia when he attacked Mrs Mills-Westley, who lived on the Port Royale complex in Los Cristianos.
Coroner Jacqueline Lake read out excerpts of the jury’s verdict, saying Ms Mills-Westley, originally from Norwich, had been rendered defenceless by the brutality of the attack.
She added: “Mr Deyanov picked up a ham-slicing knife from a shelf. He attacked her from behind, stabbing her repeatedly in the neck until her head was completely severed.
“He then picked up her severed head and walked outside. Her capacity to react and defend herself, or even run away, was completely impaired by the defendant. He ensured he could kill his victim without any risk to himself.”
Ms Lake said post-mortem reports showed Ms Mill-Westley bled to death. She added that the court found Deyanov had been in an “acute” phase of his schizophrenia at the time, meaning he could not discern reality.
He was later sentenced to 20 years in a secure psychiatric unit in Seville following the attack.
The coroner returned a narrative conclusion that Ms Mills-Westley died after an attack by a person she did not know, from which she could not defend herself. “This was an absolutely abhorrent event,” she said.
The family would not comment as they left the inquest.
Deyanov had previously been admitted to the Ablett psychiatric unit at Glan Clwyd Hospital, Bodelwyddan, near Rhyl, in June 2010, while he stayed at a relative’s home in Flint, Wales.
An independent report, published by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, concluded that there were “clear shortcomings” relating to the care provided in North Wales.
The report noted: “It is difficult to determine how these deficiencies may have directly influenced and led to the events of May 2011.
“However, we do believe that had the issues we identify within the report been addressed, the likelihood of such an incident occurring might have been significantly reduced.”
Sarah and her sister Samantha, said after the report that had staff not missed his serious medical problems, their mother might still be alive today.
They added: “The Health Inspectorate of Wales report has highlighted a number of significant, basic, medical, best-practice failures. These failings are far worse than we had imagined.
“We are shocked to learn that the clearly-prejudicial views of the medical staff severely compromised the diagnosis and, therefore, subsequent treatment of Deyan Deyanov.”
Immediately after the tragedy, Sarah said: “Mum retired a number of years ago and was fully enjoying her retirement, travelling between Tenerife and France, where she spent time visiting her daughter and grandchildren, and her other daughter in Norfolk.
“She was full of life, generous of heart, would do anything for anyone.”
More... (http://www.canarianweekly.com/beheaded-woman-left-powerless-halt-assault/)