Pensioner’s ‘Ritual Sacrifice’ Death Exposes Systemic Failures in Mental Healthcare and Police Coordination
Table of Contents
A family has condemned authorities for a “failure on every level” after a 74-year-old man was fatally stabbed by a woman with paranoid schizophrenia who had repeatedly absconded from a mental health unit. The inquest into the death of Roger Leadbeater has revealed critical shortcomings in the mental healthcare system and police coordination,ultimately contributing to the tragic event.
The Attack and Borowy’s Background
Emma Borowy, 32, who claimed she was “tricked by the devil” into committing a “ritual sacrifice.” Borowy died in prison four months after the attack.
Repeated abscondments and Questionable Leave Approvals
The inquest heard Borowy had a history of attempting to leave her mental health unit, having absconded nine times, attempted to abscond on 15 occasions, and failed to return from leave three times. Despite this concerning pattern, she was granted escorted leave just two days before the fatal attack.
Sheffield Coroner Tanyka Rawden concluded on Thursday that Borowy’s leave request “would probably have been rejected if procedures had been followed.” The decision to grant leave was made by a new consultant who approved it “without clear documentation of the reasons for the decision, without consideration of a detailed risk assessment, and outside of the policies which stated that leave after a suspension should be reviewed face-to-face.”
According to Ms. Rawden, “it is likely the risk factors would have been too high and leave would not have been granted” had the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust adhered to its own protocols. Borowy was first sectioned in October 2022 following her arrest for killing two goats with a knife, highlighting a prior history of violent behavior.
police Coordination Criticized
The coroner also leveled criticism at both Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire police forces regarding their handling of information related to vulnerable missing persons. The inquest revealed deficiencies in the handover of crucial details between the two forces.
Family’s Devastating Loss and Call for Accountability
Outside the coroner’s court, Roger Leadbeater’s niece, Angela Hector, delivered a scathing rebuke of the involved agencies. “Emma Borowy put her trust in you to keep her safe and well,” she stated. “The public put their trust in you to protect us. You all failed on every level.”
Hector described the attack as “barbaric beyond comprehension,” revealing her uncle sustained 124 injuries. “This is like a horror film you cannot switch off, except this is real,” she added, urging authorities to understand the lasting consequences of their decisions. “I am certain you would think twice before granting leave, before withholding vital information, before ignoring clear warnings.”
Preventative Action and Apologies
The coroner will now issue Prevention of Future Death (PFD) reports to both police forces, the Home Office, the College of Policing, and the National Police Chief’s Council, focusing on improving the handover process for vulnerable missing individuals. A decision on whether to issue a PFD report to the hospital trust will be made in August.
Greater Manchester Assistant Chief Constable Steph Parker issued an apology on behalf of Greater Manchester Police. “On behalf of GMP I want to apologise to Roger’s family for our failure to properly pass key information to other partners before and after he was killed,” Parker said. “It is to our great regret that this tragic incident coudl ever have happened.”
South Yorkshire Police’s Detective Chief Superintendent Laura Koscikiewicz acknowledged the need for enhancement. “We fully accept the learning opportunities highlighted during the inquest and that changes should have been made sooner around the handover of missing people to other agencies, to ensure key information is passed on,” Koscikiewicz stated. “We are sorry that these processes were not in place at the time.”
The case underscores the critical need for robust protocols in mental healthcare and seamless communication between law enforcement agencies to prevent future tragedies.
