Who Made This Decision? Family Demands Answers Over Killer’s Release

The tragic killing of Lewis Stone, a retired butcher, by a psychiatric patient has left his family grappling with an unending ordeal. Stone, , was fatally stabbed while walking his dog during a holiday in Borth, mid-Wales, in February . The attacker, David Fleet, who suffers from schizophrenia, had been released from a secure psychiatric unit just ten days prior to the incident. Now, six years later, Fleet has been granted overnight leave from the same facility where he has been detained indefinitely.
Stone’s family expressed deep anguish upon learning of Fleet’s overnight release. They remain haunted by unanswered questions about the psychiatric care Fleet received before the attack and fear that this development signals an impending permanent release. Vicki Lindsay, Stone’s stepdaughter, voiced her frustration, stating, “It feels as though whoever made this decision doesn’t consider my family at all. It’s like they are sticking a middle finger up at us and saying ‘deal with it’.” Lindsay has called on the NHS to publish internal reports to shed light on the decisions surrounding Fleet’s release and ensure accountability.
On the morning of February , , Stone left his holiday home to walk his dog along the River Leri. Approximately minutes later, he encountered Fleet, who stabbed him multiple times. Despite medical efforts, Stone succumbed to his injuries three months later. During court proceedings at Swansea Crown Court, it was revealed that Fleet had been experiencing auditory hallucinations urging him to harm someone to prevent them from taking control of his mind. Fleet pleaded guilty to manslaughter due to diminished responsibility and was detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act.
Fleet’s release from psychiatric care just days before the attack occurred despite concerns raised by his mother about his discharge. The Hywel Dda University Health Board has refused to make internal reports public. Sharon Daniel, the health board’s director of nursing, quality, and patient experience, stated that they fulfilled their obligations under the Duty of Candour for patients but would not disclose reports related to Fleet’s care. She added that robust processes are in place for reviewing incidents and implementing improvement plans.
The Ministry of Justice defended its decision to approve Fleet’s overnight leave, emphasizing that such decisions are made following thorough risk assessments and strict safeguards. A spokesperson extended sympathies to Stone’s family but acknowledged the difficulty of such decisions.
The family’s call for transparency echoes similar demands made in other cases involving mental health-related homicides. For instance, NHS England recently reversed its decision not to publish a full report into the care of Valdo Calocane, another schizophrenic patient who killed three people in Nottingham. That report revealed systemic failings in Calocane’s treatment.
Radd Seiger, a legal adviser to Stone’s family and former NHS lawyer who also supported the Nottingham families, criticized the lack of transparency in Fleet’s case. He described it as “frankly outrageous” that the family learned about Fleet’s overnight leave on the same day they publicly demanded answers regarding his care. Seiger accused the health board of failing in its duty to manage Fleet’s risk adequately and called for accountability.
Lindsay reflected on her family’s ongoing struggle: “I thought February , 2019—the day Lewis was attacked—and the three months before he died were the worst period of our lives. Little did I know that was just the beginning of our nightmare.” She lamented how victims are treated “disgracefully” and vowed to fight for justice in her stepfather’s name until those responsible are held accountable.
The case underscores broader concerns about mental health care systems and their ability to protect both patients and the public. As Lindsay poignantly asked, “What kind of country is this where victims of killings are treated like this?”