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Russell murders report published Russell murders report published
(40 minutes later)
A report on the care of the man who murdered mother and daughter Lin and Megan Russell, in Kent in 1996, has found significant failings. A report on the care of the man who murdered mother and daughter Lin and Megan Russell in Kent in 1996 has found significant failings.
Michael Stone is serving life for the killings and for the attempted murder of Megan's sister Josie, now living in north Wales. Michael Stone is serving life for the killings and for the attempted murder of Megan's sister Josie.
Before the murders he received support for mental health problems and drug addiction and spent time on probation.Before the murders he received support for mental health problems and drug addiction and spent time on probation.
The report said agencies failed to share information.
The independent inquiry was commissioned by the three agencies which had been treating or supervising Stone - West Kent Health Authority (now NHS South East Coast), Kent Social Services and Kent Probation Service.
The three agencies have acknowledged that mistakes were made.
But the inquiry concluded it was unable to say the murders could have been avoided by a better standard of care.But the inquiry concluded it was unable to say the murders could have been avoided by a better standard of care.
It said Stone suffered from a personality disorder together with drug and alcohol abuse which made him a complex case. 'Mistakes made'
The independent inquiry was commissioned by the three agencies which had been treating or supervising Stone - West Kent Health Authority (now NHS South East Coast), Kent Social Services and Kent Probation Service.
The three agencies have acknowledged that mistakes were made and that agencies failed to share information.
It said Stone suffered from a personality disorder together with drug and alcohol abuse, which made him a complex case.
Lin and Megan Russell were killed in a country lane in Chillenden
The report also said the prison service lost many of Stone's medical records, and that his medication was delegated to a GP with inadequate knowledge.The report also said the prison service lost many of Stone's medical records, and that his medication was delegated to a GP with inadequate knowledge.
The agencies said a number of recommendations had already been acted upon.The agencies said a number of recommendations had already been acted upon.
You can't lock people up if they haven't done something Shaun Russell Robert Francis QC, who chaired the inquiry, said Stone had a history of mental disorder, drug abuse and violence and had threatened to kill his previous probation officer and his family.
He also "made threats to kill prison officers should he receive a future sentence, saying he was too violent for prison and should be in Broadmoor", the report said.
Mr Francis said Stone "could appear aggressive to one person and cooperative to another almost simultaneously".
He said: "It's not surprising that there were differences between the judgements made of him by different people at different times."
'A beacon'
The inquiry report was completed in November 2000, with extra information added in May 2002, but its release was delayed by Stone's appeal against his conviction, and then a legal challenge against the report's publication.The inquiry report was completed in November 2000, with extra information added in May 2002, but its release was delayed by Stone's appeal against his conviction, and then a legal challenge against the report's publication.
Stone argued that personal medical information in the report should not be made available to the public and media.Stone argued that personal medical information in the report should not be made available to the public and media.
That was rejected by the High Court in July.That was rejected by the High Court in July.
Josie Russell survived the attack that killed her mother and sister
Stone was convicted and jailed for life in 2001.Stone was convicted and jailed for life in 2001.
Before the report was published, Mr Russell told the BBC that Stone was "yet another in a long catalogue of cases where people who have mental problems, violent offenders, have been free in the community and haven't been monitored, looked after, assessed, managed properly really".Before the report was published, Mr Russell told the BBC that Stone was "yet another in a long catalogue of cases where people who have mental problems, violent offenders, have been free in the community and haven't been monitored, looked after, assessed, managed properly really".
He said: "I agree that you can't lock people up if they haven't done something, but still I think the agencies that deal with people like this could work a lot better together to monitor people like this."He said: "I agree that you can't lock people up if they haven't done something, but still I think the agencies that deal with people like this could work a lot better together to monitor people like this."
Michael Stone was convicted and jailed for life in 2001
He said his daughter Josie, who was severely injured in the attack, had helped him to keep going after Lin and Megan died.He said his daughter Josie, who was severely injured in the attack, had helped him to keep going after Lin and Megan died.
"She is a light for me, a beacon," he said."She is a light for me, a beacon," he said.
Mr Russell said Josie was "someone that I have been able to concentrate on and give all my attention to and that's helped me through it".
He revealed she had now left home and moved into a flat where she was "mightily happy", but was still dealing with the effects of the attack.He revealed she had now left home and moved into a flat where she was "mightily happy", but was still dealing with the effects of the attack.
He said: "She has still been left with an impairment. She still has to live with the implications of that attack. He said: "She has still been left with an impairment. She still has to live with the implications of that attack."
"She has got reduced ability to read and write and a speech impairment - it is something that will never go away." Stone's appeal hopes
In a statement after the report was published, lawyers for Stone said he had been "the subject of a cruel miscarriage of justice".
They said he had not committed the offences and the report contained "a number of inaccuracies".
The statement said Stone had not told the inquiry of the inaccuracies because it would be condoning the report's publication.
It added that new evidence had been submitted to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, and Stone hoped the case would be referred back to the Court of Appeal.