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Inquest Set for Psychiatric Patient's Killing
1 Apr
Summary
- An inquest will review the 2023 killing of a church warden.
- The patient escaped a psychiatric unit before the fatal attack.
- A two-week inquest is scheduled to begin on March 8, 2027.
An inquest date has been set to scrutinize the 2023 killing of church warden Beryl Purdy by an escaped psychiatric patient. David Parish absconded from a unit in Taunton, Somerset, before fatally assaulting Mrs. Purdy in her Broomfield home.
Parish received a six-year prison sentence last year for manslaughter by diminished responsibility. The upcoming inquest, scheduled for two weeks starting March 8, 2027, will investigate his detention, escape, and the events leading to the death. This review aims to understand the circumstances surrounding Mrs. Purdy's killing.
The inquest will likely hear from psychiatric nurses, medical professionals, and police officers involved in Parish's case. Previously, it was noted that Parish had been detained under the mental health act shortly before the incident but was released. He was detained again before escaping the secure unit on March 27, 2023.
