Psychiatric patient killer given indefinite order

A man with paranoid schizophrenia killed a fellow psychiatric patient in a "ferocious" attack, a judge said.

Ahsan Zia punched, kicked and stamped on Michael Matthews, 55, at the Hadrian Clinic in Newcastle in April 2022.

The 33-year-old suffered with delusions about a plot to rape and kill him, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

He denied murder but admitted manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility and was given an indefinite hospital order.

Zia, who also had hallucinations involving the late Queen, launched a 28-second attack after entering Mr Matthews' room on the clinic's acute Fellside Wing.

Prosecutor Nick Dry said Zia beat Mr Matthews' head, neck and body while his victim was on the floor.

Witnesses later told police Zia said "I did it" as he walked out of the room.

Mr Matthews, a nature-lover who had two brothers and a sister, died four days later in hospital after family members had travelled from Dorset to be by his bedside.

Mr Dry said Zia had used cannabis the day before the attack, but there was no evidence it had any influence on his behaviour when he lashed out.

Zia had also stopped taking his anti-psychotic medication shortly before the fatal assault, but this was with the knowledge of his clinicians and he had referred himself back to hospital when he realised he was unwell.

Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Pablo Vandenabeele told the court Zia had a treatment-resistant form of paranoid schizophrenia.

In mitigation, Toby Hedworth KC said university graduate Zia had "times of insight" and was profoundly concerned about the distress he has caused Mr Matthews' family.

"He is someone who just wants to be well again," Mr Hedworth said, adding: "He wants to take advantage of whatever treatment is available".

In a statement, Mr Matthews' mother Edith Rodgers said her son had told her he was to stay in the clinic for four weeks, but could leave if he wanted, and "he was all right with that".

His brother Martin Matthews said "due to the actions of one person" he would never be able to tell his brother how proud he was of him and how much he was loved.

"We, as a family, will never know the real reason behind the brutal attack on Michael," Martin Matthews said, adding: "But we will have to live with the aftermath of these terrible events for the rest of our lives."

Judge Paul Sloan KC said CCTV from the clinic proved Zia was in his victim's room for only 28 seconds.

"In that short space of time you launched an attack upon Mr Matthews," the judge said, adding: "It was a ferocious, violent attack."

Zia will be treated at the maximum security Rampton Hospital, the judge said.

Mr Matthews' family has been helped by the Hundred Families charity which supports loved ones of those killed by mental health patients.

Outside court, director Julian Hendy said: "This is a deeply troubling case.

"This was an extremely ferocious and violent attack on a highly vulnerable man who was being treated in a hospital - the one place he should have been kept safe."

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