Schizophrenic on bail killed tourist

A schizophrenic was sent to Rampton top security psychiatric hospital indefinitely yesterday after he admitted stabbing to death a tourist and attempting to murder another woman within days of being bailed.

Anthony Roach was first given bail last March while awaiting trial for terrorising rail passengers and staff with a toy gun, the Old Bailey heard.

Later that month, Dr John Wilkins, a psychiatrist, stated that Roach's mental condition warranted "treatment in conditions of medium security ... possibly under locked conditions initially".

On 10 April, Roach appeared at the Old Bailey before Judge Bathurst Norman and pleaded guilty to affray at Richmond rail station. But the judge was not able to deal with the case that day and Roach was remanded to be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on 22 May.

In possession of only one psychiatric report, the judge adjourned the case for a second time and Roach was allowed to continue bail. "That turned out to be a tragedy as three days later he committed these dreadful offences," said Mr John Nutting QC.

But on the day he was bailed for a second time, another psychiatric report recommended his transfer to a psychiatric unit for "treatment, assessment and medication."

"One can only hazard what the judge would have done, if, on that very same day, he had available to him both those reports," said Mr Nutting.

Roach, 25, from Tottenham, north London, yesterday admitted the manslaughter due to diminished responsibility of 23-year-old New Zealander Louise Crow on 26 May last year.

She was on a working trip with her boyfriend when she was stabbed at least six times. Roach also admitted attempting to murder Carmen Morris, 26, whom he grabbed and thrust a knife at as she got off a bus.