Recent events have proven that Cornish mental health services are failing.

Last week a young man was sentenced for killing his mother and injuring his younger brother. 

Last June, emergency services were called to Crowlas, where Sally Poynton was found dead at the scene. The 44-year-old had suffered knife wounds.

Jacob Poynton-Whiting was charged with murder, which he denied.

The 22-year-old of Tregender Lane in the village later admitted to manslaughter, and the murder charge was dropped.

He also pleaded guilty to a separate charge of unlawful wounding.

Appearing at Truro Crown Court, he was given an indeterminate hospital order under sections 37 and 41 

What happened?

Police were called by the ambulance service to Crowlas, near Penzance, on Tuesday 22nd June 2021, following reports that a man had attacked his mother with a knife.

Mrs Poynton sustained a severe knife wound to her leg before Poynton-Whiting was forced out of the house by a male relative who lived at the property and suffered a severe injury during the struggle.

The male relative dialled 999, and when he was on the line to the ambulance service, Poynton-Whiting broke a window to get back into the house and attacked his mother again.

In the second attack, Mrs Poynton sustained a severe wound to her neck, and she was pronounced dead at 7.25 am by paramedics, who had responded to the emergency call.

Poynton-Whiting was arrested at the scene by police officers and taken into custody.

He was charged with murder, but following psychiatric evaluations, the prosecution accepted his guilty plea to manslaughter when he appeared at Truro Crown Court on Monday 13th December 2021.

Poynton-Whiting was briefly detained at Longreach mental unit in Redruth but was released without a diagnosis and clear support plan in place.

Why Cornish mental health services are failing!

He was struck off the mental health service’s list when he failed to respond to follow up letters.

Mental health patients aren’t always well enough to respond to letters and phone calls. They should be appointed a care person, but due to lack of staff, mental health services in Cornwall is failing as I type!

Mr Brunton said: “Sally battled without success to get Jacob diagnosed and treated. He behaved in a bizarre and antisocial way, but there were no signs of what would come.

The mental health doctor in charge of the Longreach mental health unit is Dr Kusterman, who I had before who not only could not diagnose me, he also broke patient confidentiality and got my notes wrong.

Why are we paying this man £200,000 a year? When two or three staff could be paid this wage to help save lives. 

Mr Poynton-Whiting has been sentenced to a hospital order thanks to Judge Carr and his understanding of mental health. He would almost certainly have been sentenced to prison if it was another judge or up to Cornwall and Devon Police.