Lampard Inquiry: Deaths of thousands of mental health patients in Essex to be investigated as families hope for answers
The deaths of around 2,000 mental health patients will be investigated as a long-awaited new public inquiry begins on Monday.
Warning: The following article contains details some readers may find distressing
Families of the patients who died in Essex have been campaigning for years, claiming they have not been told the truth about what happened to their loved ones.
Melanie Leahy, whose son Matthew is among those who died, believes the large number of deaths being investigated will continue to grow.
“I think we’re going to find there’s a lot, lot more. And I think it’s absolutely horrendous,” she told Sky News.
“I believe it’s a cull. It’s a cull of our most vulnerable, our most gentle, our most needy.”
Matthew Leahy, 20, died in November 2012.
He was found unresponsive in his room at the Linden Centre, a secure mental health unit in Chelmsford, eight days after he was sectioned.
Melanie Leahy in 2012
His mother received a call to tell her what had happened. She raced to the hospital but it was too late.
She recalls going in and “there lay Matthew, on the trolley, he had a blue hospital gown on… And in that instant I just wanted to go and grab him and hold him and bring him back to life”.
Mrs Leahy says she was told by staff: “Don’t touch, he’s a crime scene.”
“I was taken into a side room and asked what undertaker I had planned,” she remembers. “I was planning his 21st birthday.”
It was soon after Mr Leahy’s death that she grew concerned that things she was being told about what happened didn’t add up.
Mrs Leahy also has unanswered questions about a serious allegation her son had made days before his death.
Mr Leahy had called his father and told him he had been raped.
He then called police and can be heard on the 999 call telling the operator: “I’ve been raped and the doctors refuse to acknowledge it.”
Police went to the unit but no arrests were made.
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An inquest into Mr Leahy’s death found it occurred after a “series of multiple failings and missed opportunities”. Staff even falsified his care plan after he died.
Matthew Leahy was found unresponsive in his room at the Linden Centre in Essex
During years of fighting for answers, Mrs Leahy has met many other families who have also lost loved ones who were mental health patients in Essex.
In 2021 the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust was fined £1.5m over failures in care that led to the deaths of 11 patients after pleading guilty to safety breaches that meant it failed to “prevent suicides”.
Since then the number of deaths under investigation has continued to grow.
The 2,000 deaths the new inquiry will examine all took place between the start of 2000 and the end of 2023.
Priya Singh is a lawyer representing dozens of families involved in the inquiry and says the details of cases she’s involved with are harrowing.
“Allegations of physical abuse and sexual abuse have come up many, many, many times,” she told Sky News.
“I don’t feel that we’re just only looking at negligence here. We’re looking at abuse.”
She believes it’s essential that national recommendations are made while the new inquiry is ongoing, to protect mental health patients across the NHS.
“This is definitely happening all over the country. Psychiatric care in this country is almost not fit for purpose right now,” she says.
The inquiry will be known as the Lampard Inquiry, chaired by Baroness Lampard who previously led the investigation into abuse by Jimmy Savile in the NHS.
Paul Scott, chief executive of Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT), said: “We know how painful this time will be for those who have lost loved ones and our thoughts are with them.
“We will continue to do all we can to support Baroness Lampard and her team to provide the answers that patients, families and carers are seeking.”
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.
Police are investigating after a “number of people” were believed to have been attacked with pepper spray by a group of men who then fled.
Officers were called at 8.11am to a multi-storey car park at Terminal 3 following reports of multiple people being assaulted, said the Metropolitan Police.
A statement by the force said: “A number of people were sprayed with what is believed to be a form of pepper spray by a group of men who then left the scene.”
What we know so far
• Several assaulted with ‘pepper spray’
• One arrest – police hunt for more suspects
• Incident said to involve people known to each other
• Incident not being treated as terrorism
• 21 people treated by ambulance service – five taken to hospital
• Injuries not believed to be life-threatening
• Traffic disruption reported – but train lines since reopened
Live updates on Heathrow incident
Fire engines responding to the incident at Heathrow Airport. Pic: @_umarjaved
Armed police attended and one man was arrested on suspicion of assault. He remains in custody and enquiries continue to trace further suspects.
Police are not treating the Heathrow incident as terrorism.
London Ambulance Service also attended the scene and treated 21 people, including five who were taken to hospital. Their injuries are not believed to be life-changing or life-threatening.
There is currently some disruption to traffic in the area and Terminal 3 remains open.
Increased police presence
Commander Peter Stevens said: “At this stage, we believe the incident involved a group of people known to each other, with an argument escalating and resulting in a number of people being injured.
“Our officers responded quickly and there will be an increased police presence at Heathrow Airport throughout the morning, to continue enquiries and ensure the safety of those in the area.
“We are not treating this incident as terrorism. I understand the public’s concerns and would like to thank those in the area for their cooperation this morning.”
A person is detained at the airport. Pic: @_umarjaved
‘Significant incident’
The London Ambulance Service said a “significant incident” was declared.
There was a “full deployment” of resources and the ambulance service is treating it as ongoing.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “We were called at 8.14am today to assist emergency service colleagues at an incident near Terminal 3 at Heathrow Airport. Firefighters remain at the scene.”
Heathrow is advising passengers to allow extra time when travelling to the airport and to check with their airline for any queries.
There was disruption to train and Tube services, with some delays on the Elizabeth Line and the Piccadilly Line.
National Rail said on its website that lines had been reopened allowing trains to call at Heathrow “following the emergency services dealing with an incident at the airport”.
It said: “Although lines have now reopened, disruption is expected to continue whilst services return to normal, delays of up to 10 minutes and cancellations can be expected until 11.45am.”
National Highways East said on X: “A serious incident within the @HeathrowAirport Tunnel has resulted in the closure of the #M4 spur road southbound between M4 and J4A.
“@metpoliceuk responding. We’ll keep you updated.”
It later said: “Incident has been resolved and all closures lifted on the #M4 southbound @HeathrowAirport spur road between #M4 and J4A.”
People on social media have reported vehicles were being searched at the airport.
A user on X said there was a “major backlog of cars unable to leave the vicinity or enter the drop-off zone” at Terminal 3.
In footage on X, several armed police were seen in a car park.
England and Scotland fans have found out where their World Cup group games will be played when the tournament kicks off in June.
England, who are in Group L, will begin their tournament against Croatia in Dallas at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 17 June. They will then go on to face Ghana in Boston at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 23 June and Panama in New Jersey, New York, at 5pm EST (10pm BST) on 27 June.
Scotland are in Group C, and their first match will be against Haiti in Boston at 9pm EST on 13 June (2am GMT the following morning).
They will go up against Morocco also in Boston at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 19 June and then Brazil in Miami at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 24 June.
Fans are expected to rush to sort their travel and accommodation plans now that they know where and when the matches take place.
Read more: Unapologetically political – a World Cup draw like no other
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England and Scotland learn World Cup fate
Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to find out if they will qualify.
Wales must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.
If they beat these play-off opponents, they will secure their place in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
However, Northern Ireland will also be vying to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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UK
World Cup 2026 – who England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will play
Scotland and England now know who they will face in the group stage of the next summer’s world cup.
But the fates of Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Wales won’t be determined until they compete in pre-tournament play-off matches in March.
England are in Group L along with Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Their first match will be against Croatia, who beat them in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Pic: Reuters
Scotland’s first match will be against Haiti, in Group C.
Brazil and Morocco are the other Group C teams – both countries were also in the same opening group as Scotland in the 1998 World Cup in France.
Trump and Infantino at the World Cup draw
Wales have yet to find out if they will qualify as they must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, and then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.
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If they can overcome these play-off opponents then they will secure their place in Group B along with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland. But Northern Ireland will also be vying and hoping to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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‘Bring it on!’: Scotland fans react to World Cup draw
The Republic of Ireland also need to get through the play-offs first and are paired against the Czech Republic for their semi-final. Should Ireland win that match, they will need to beat either North Macedonia or Denmark to get to the finals where an opening group containing joint hosts Mexico, South Africa and South Korea awaits.
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