A man who repeatedly stabbed his fiancee was released from hospital hours before the attack despite claiming he was "going to f***ing kill somebody".
Phillip Jones claimed he was possessed and was observed speaking to dead relatives when he was taken to Whiston Hospital over concerns about a dramatic decline in his mental health.
But despite the availability of a bed in a specialist facility, doctors working at the hospital for an NHS trust that oversaw mental health services there discharged him after concluding he could receive support at home.
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Just hours later he attacked partner Rebecca Wakefield before turning the knife on himself.
A jury has since ruled Jones was insane at the time of the attack.
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Jones was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 21 and suffered seizures that typically occurred during his sleep.
But in late 2019 his condition began to deteriorate before, on January 21, 2020 he suffered a total of five seizures.
The 44-year-old's mental health worsened in the following days, leading to him being taken to Whiston Hospital on January 23 after worried family became increasingly concerned about his behaviour.
While there he was observed throwing paper at people, speaking with dead relatives and heard shouting: “I’m going to f***ing kill somebody for doing this to me. Somebody is going to pay for doing this to me.”
A nurse made Ms Wakefield aware a bed at the specialist mental health facility Peasley Cross Hospital was available for Jones but - despite her pleas - it was decided he would be allowed to return home, where later that day he would be seen by a community mental health team.
The couple returned to their home in the Sutton area of St Helens at 5am, on January 23.
When Jones woke just after midday, Ms Wakefield heard him come downstairs shouting: "We’ve got to go ..this is the end.”
They ended up in the kitchen where Jones grabbed a knife, chased Ms Wakefield and stabbed her at least six times, severely wounding her.
He was given a hospital order on Monday after he was charged with attempted murder but found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Both prosecution and defence lawyers argued in favour of that verdict, which was available if the Liverpool Crown Court jury accepted he intended to kill Ms Wakefield but that he was insane at the time.
The ECHO sought details over the decision to send Jones home rather than to Peasley Cross and whether that move had been the subject of an investigation or review.
A spokeswoman for St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospital NHS Trust said it did not provide mental health services in Whiston Hospital's emergency department.
A spokeswoman for Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, which does, said the incident was before the organisation took over that role from The North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which no longer exists as an NHS Trust.
She said: “Our sincere thoughts are with those who have been affected by this distressing event and court case.
"On June 1, 2021, Mersey Care became the new provider of services delivered by the former North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and so we can’t make further comment on the circumstances surrounding the incident, which took place before that date.
"Mersey Care takes incidents of this nature very seriously. We have robust continuous learning and improvement mechanisms in place to ensure the highest level of patient care."
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