The family of a man killed in an axe attack by his mentally ill cousin say they feel ‘vindicated’ after an inquest jury ruled multiple ‘failings’ by police and mental health services probably contributed to his death.
And the loved ones of Ryan Lowry have called on the agencies to ‘take the opportunities to accept and resolve these issues’ in a bid to prevent ‘future avoidable deaths.’
Mr Lowry, 36, was chased down the street before being struck 13 times with an axe by tree surgeon Ashley Glennon on Moss Lane in Partington.
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Emergency services raced to the scene near Mr Glennon’s home. However married car enthusiast and foster parent Mr Lowry, who was born in Urmston but lived in Marple, Stockport, was declared dead at the scene just after midnight in the early hours of February 28, 2020.
Mr Glennon, also known as Ashley Rowen, who the crown court heard had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, was detained under the Mental Health Act.
Mr Lowry died of multiple head injuries after the axe attack by his cousin Ashley Glennon
(Image: MEN Media)
Originally charged with murder, the prosecution accepted his guilty plea to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. And, in January 2021, he was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order.
For the past fortnight, an inquest into Mr Lowry’s death at Stockport Coroner’s Court has been hearing evidence regarding the care and supervision of Mr Glennon by agencies including the Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) NHS Trust and Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
The inquest heard Mr Glennon had been sectioned twice before including in 2019 when he attacked his elderly grandfather and left him with a bleed on the brain.
He spent two weeks in hospital before being released and being transferred over to the care of Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Trust’s local Community Mental Health team. He was also under the supervision of GMP’s Sexual Offender Management Team.
Police at the scene on Moss Lane in Partington following the tragedy
(Image: MEN MEDIA)
The hearing was told Mr Glennon went round to the home of the father of his ex-partner 24 hours before the killing, kicked the door in and smashed a window. He also followed his ex-partner who rang the police on 101 to report this, before being left on hold for 40 minutes and eventually disconnecting the call.
The inquest also heard Mr Lowry accompanied his cousin, who he was close to and acted as ‘somewhat of a carer to’, to his GP on February 26 and made a number of ‘anxious’ calls and left ‘urgent’ messages to GMMH services the following day raising concern about his cousin’s welfare.
This afternoon (Tuesday, March 19), the jury returned a conclusion that Mr Lowry was unlawfully killed. In their summary of the circumstances surrounding the death, they said that the GMMH ‘failed to effectively identify, monitor, assess and manage the increased general risk and risk of relapse by the offender, particularly during the early part of the year and this probably contributed to Ryan’s death.’
A jury has heard two weeks of evidence during the inquest at Stockport Coroner’s Court
(Image: MEN Media)
“Failure to monitor the offender appropriately resulted in the service not being aware of the high risk of relapse, and his non-concordance with medication” the jury concluded. They said that ‘risk assessments were not updated’, ‘there was an unsatisfactory handover of care’ and a ‘lack of communication with the offender’s family.’
They said GMMH ‘failed to seek and share information about the offender with other agencies, particularly Greater Manchester Police’ and that this also ‘probably contributed to Ryan’s death.’ Adding that there was ‘was no multi-agency working which led to missed opportunities to collate all risks and information.’
They also said that Greater Manchester Police (GMP): “Failed to capture and respond to the information and concern raised by the offender’s ex-partner in her 101 call to them on 27 February 2020, which probably contributed to Ryan’s death.’
Mr Glennon was given an indefinite hospital order in January 2021
(Image: MEN Media)
“There was no indication that the call would not be logged if the offender’s ex-partner did not get through to the control room. If the 101 call had successfully gone through to the control room, it would have been treated as high priority.
“This would have led to a welfare check which would have taken place within 3-4 hours. If the offender’s ex-partner had identified the offender, there would have been an opportunity for the police to detain the offender. Greater Manchester Police failed to seek and share all relevant information about the offender with other agencies, particularly Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust, and this probably contributed to Ryan’s death.”
“The Police (including SOMU (Sexual Offenders Management Unit) had vital information which should have been shared with the mental health services, including the fact that he was high risk” they added.
The family of motorsports enthusiast Mr Lowry say they feel vindicated
(Image: MEN Media)
“There was a lack of communication internally and externally, which resulted in missed opportunities for a MARAC referral. Overall, the jury unanimously agree that each omission probably contributed to Ryan’s death.”
Speaking on behalf of the family following the hearing, Mr Lowry’s widow Michelle said: “It’s been a long road to get to this point: Four years and over two weeks in the actual inquest.
“We are hugely grateful to both the Jury and Coroner for their care and conscientious consideration to all the points in our case, and for all the support from our legal team and friends and family.
“We feel vindicated by the jury’s conclusions and the multiple failings they found that contributed to Ryan’s death. While there have been many questions answered, this process has highlighted how many issues still need to be answered.
“It is hugely important that the services take the opportunities to accept and resolve these issues to help prevent future avoidable deaths, that could happen to anyone.”
The family’s legal representatives, barrister Sefton Kwasnik and solicitor Kayley Giddings said: “We truly appreciate the care with which the jury have considered the evidence in reaching their findings, some of which was very difficult to hear.”
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