A schizophrenic mother who beat a church warden to death and attacked three others in a frenzy in a Co-op is given indefinite hospital order.
Mother -of- one Zara Radcliffe, 30, who is being held at Rampton secure hospital has been given indefinite hospital orders after her stabbing spree in Co-op in Peygraig in Rhondda, South Wales, in May.
Mentally-ill Radcliffe stabbed nurse Lisa Way, 53, shopper Andrew Price, 58, and fellow nurse Gaynor Saurin, 65 before stabbing and beating to death with a fire extinguisher and two wine bottles church warden John Rees, 88.
Mr Rees who had left his dementia-suffering wife Eunice, 87, in their car while he went inside the Co-op, tried to stop the attack in a bid to save the shoppers.
Mother-of-one Zara Radcliffe, 30, has been given indefinite hospital orders after her stabbing spree in Peygraig Co-op
John Rees, 88, was stabbed his dementia-suffering wife Eunice, 87 (pictured together) was waiting for him in the car outside the Co-op
Merthyr Crown Court heard Radcliffe first stabbed Andrew Price with a kitchen knife outside the supermarket before running inside and attacking nurse Gaynor Saurin who had tried to stop her attacking Mr Price.
It was then when Mr Rees tried to tackle her but got stabbed himself.
Mr Rees died from severe blunt trauma to the face including multiple facial fractures.
Michael Jones QC, prosecuting, told the court: ‘A selfless and brave act which cost him his life.
‘He was killed by the attack and so severely injured to the extent no attempts were made to revive him by paramedics.’
The court heard police who arrived within minutes of attack arrested Radcliffe inside the store, who offered her hands in a praying motion.
Merthyr Crown Court heard Radcliffe who was a patient at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital for five months had been suffering from mental illness for over a decade and could have been schizophrenic since 2016
Mr Jones added: ‘When approached by officers she put her hands in a praying motion. She was asked where she put the knife and she pointed out where it was.
‘On the shop floor there were various droplets of blood.
‘The defendant said: ‘It had to be done and that’s it’.’
Radcliffe, from Wyndham Street, Porth, denied murder. At a previous hearing, she pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Rees by reason of diminished responsibility, which the Crown accepted.
She also admitted the attempted murders of Mr Price, Ms Saurin and Ms Way.
Mrs Justice Jefford imposed indefinite hospital orders under Sections 37 and 41 of the Mental Health Act.
Radcliffe pleaded guilty to three charges of attempted murder of nurse Lisa Way, 53, nurse Gaynor Saurin, 65, (left) and Andrew Price, 58, (right)
The judge said: ‘I am satisfied because of the serious nature of your offending and your history of mental illness and the risk that you commit further offences it is necessary to protect the public.
‘I am satisfied that the conditions under Section 41 will provide greater protection to the public than if you were released under licence.
‘These restrictions have the effect that you cannot be discharged until a mental health tribunal is satisfied that you do not pose an unacceptable risk to the public, and only with the consent of the Secretary of State.
‘If you were released there would be conditions that you would under the care of the mental health team and liable to recall swiftly.’
Radcliffe – a single mother to a young son – who was a patient at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital for five months, had been suffering from mental illness for over a decade and could have been schizophrenic since 2016, the court heard.
A romantic relationship with a man had ended in the weeks leading up to the attack.
Nurse Lisa Way, 53, was stabbed to the neck during the horrific attack
Prior to the incident she had not been taking her prescribed medication because she did not like the side-effects, despite her medical notes saying she should not be given that type.
Radcliffe also believed police ‘weren’t taking her seriously’ about an alleged assault against her, her family claim.
Jonathan Rees QC, defending, said: ‘Zara Radcliffe feels real horror, shame and great distress at the fact she caused so much pain and suffering on May 5.
‘She is terribly remorseful for the suffering that she has caused to those persons she came across that day and she has tried to show that remorse, not just through words but through her actions. ‘
Mr Rees, a retired senior engineer, lived with his wife Eunice at their home in nearby Trealaw.
He was described as ‘the very definition of a good man, extremely respected and liked in the community’ by his family.
His family paid tribute to him, saying he ‘would do anything for anyone’ – and was going to help the other victims of the stabbing attack when he died.
His nephew Michael Smith said he reacted with ‘absolute disbelief’ when he heard how his uncle was killed on the shopping trip.
He said: ‘It’s incredibly upsetting. You feel sorry for the person impacted, but you have no comprehension about the knock on for the family.’
‘My aunt is extremely frail. Eunice was totally dependent on him.
‘Even though John was 88 he was physically fit and would often take her out to Pontypridd and they would sit in the Prince’s Café.
‘He was so very well thought of. Everyone knows John. If you can model yourself on him you’d do quite well.
‘If you try and think what would he do in a situation and do it, you’ll be on the right track.’