A man who killed his wife with a hammer before taking his own life had been suffering a psychotic episode just weeks after being discharged from psychiatric hospital, a coroner has ruled.
A Loving Couple Lost to Tragedy
Christopher Stone-Houghton, 66, and his wife Ruth, 60, were found dead at their home in Portsmouth, Hampshire, on 14 September 2022. A post-mortem examination concluded Mr Stone-Houghton died by hanging, while Mrs Stone-Houghton died from a head injury. A claw hammer was discovered next to her body.
The inquest in Portsmouth heard the couple had enjoyed a "loving and happy 32-year relationship" and were devoted parents to their two children. Described as a fun, loyal couple, their deaths came as a "complete shock" to all who knew them.
History of Mental Health Crisis and 'Unsafe' Discharge
Coroner Rachel Spearing heard that Mr Stone-Houghton's mental health had deteriorated rapidly in April 2022. This followed the collapse of his jewellery business, which had struggled during the Covid-19 pandemic.
After displaying "anxious and manic" behaviour, he was sectioned in June 2022 following a violent episode of self-harm. He was discharged from a psychiatric unit in August 2022, less than two months before the tragedy.
Ms Spearing found his discharge was "unsafe due to an inadequate risk assessment" in his care plan. However, she stated this was not directly causative of the deaths, as he had appeared to be making a positive recovery, complying with his routine and medication, and showed no signs of being a risk to his wife.
Medication Lapse and Family's Anguish
A critical finding was that toxicology tests revealed Mr Stone-Houghton had not been taking his prescribed medication at the time of the deaths. The coroner accepted psychiatric evidence that he likely experienced a sudden, severe psychotic episode on the morning of 14 September, leading to the attack on his wife and his subsequent suicide.
In a narrative verdict, she recorded that Mrs Stone-Houghton died from head injuries inflicted by her husband while he was in the throes of a psychotic episode.
Following the hearing, the couple's children, Oliver, 30, and Abbie, 28, issued a powerful statement criticising NHS mental health services. They said: "It is clear that more could and should have been done to manage the risk of Dad becoming unwell again... Their deaths should not have been the catalyst for action."
They directly addressed Health Secretary Wes Streeting, urging that the serious failings exposed at the inquest be addressed nationally, not just locally.
The coroner also highlighted a concerning gap in procedure regarding Mr Stone-Houghton's firearm licence, which he had voluntarily surrendered months earlier. She noted there was no mandatory requirement for a GP to notify police of concerns about a patient's access to guns, though this was not a factor in the deaths. Ms Spearing said she would consider issuing a Prevention of Future Deaths report.
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