The allotment featured in a documentary on BBC2 last night about the tragic murder in 2007 of Philip Hendy our site rep, who gave me my key to the gate in 2005 and was a thoroughly nice bloke.
The programme 'Why Did You Kill My Dad?' was made by Phil's son Julian and examined the failings of mental health trusts in protecting the public from people with psychotic illnesses, such as Stephen Newton, who stabbed Phil outside the newsagents in Greenbank.
"... the court had heard Newton believed there were tunnels under his house from a neighbouring chocolate factory which allowed people to get into his home and abuse his mother." - BBC News Oct 2008
Julian is understandably upset that often the relatives and perpetrators of psychotic attacks are given more support and sympathy than the victims and that patient confidentiality prevents the extent of an illness from being known by those likely to be at risk of harm.
In a very moving documentary, for me the moment came when Julian was seen collecting his father's personal effects from Trinity Road police station which included his glasses, a penknife he'd promised his grandson and an allotment key exactly like mine.
No comments:
Post a Comment