Inquiry into man freed to kill

A care in the community patient today admitted stabbing his neighbour to death.

Theophilos Theophilou, 35, was released from a secure unit only months before killing father of two Simon Breed. An investigation has been launched into why Theophilou was freed.

The case comes in the week the Evening Standard revealed how mental health services in London are at breaking point, with critical shortages of staff and beds.

At the Old Bailey today Theophilou admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He was remanded for psychiatric assessment and will be sentenced on 24 June.

Mr Breed, 51, died in his wife's arms after being attacked outside their home in Wood Green on 14 April last year. The keen violinist had just returned from a practice session with a folk band and had parked his van when Theophilou struck, stabbing him in the chest and back.

Theophilou, who lived next door to Mr Breed, had been under the care of Barnet, Enfield and Haringey mental health trust. He was placed under a section order at St Ann's Hospital in Tottenham in February 2003. In June that year he was released and began to miss outpatient appointments.

Before the attack, Theophilou had threatened Mr Breed. The musician's front door had been damaged by a machete and the windows of his van were shattered.

Theophilou vanished after the killing and police alerted the public, saying he should not be approached. He was captured four days later. Today Mr Breed's wife Diane, a deputy headteacher, was in court to hear Theophilou confess.

Mental health charities have warned it is too easy for patients to vanish from the system by missing appointments and not being chased up.

A controversial law forcing patients to adhere to treatment programmes or be locked up is being redrafted in Parliament. The earlier draft of the Mental Health Bill, which was shelved because of the general election, divided medical opinion, with some doctors believing it was too draconian.

Marjorie Wallace, of mental health charity Sane, said: "If the community has the responsibility of looking after mentally ill people, it has a right to know when a person who may be at risk to it or others is discharged.

"They should have the confidence that there are robust mental health services to protect both the patient and themselves."