THEY had been friendly and were living together in a cottage on the Morisset Hospital campus, both mental health patients who had worked their way through the criminal health system and were close to being released into the community.
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And it remained a mystery on Tuesday why one of the “forensic patients”, Thomas Dillan Stone, would allegedly plunge a knife into his 41-year-old flatmate’s neck on Monday night.
The alleged victim – it is understood relatives interstate were still being contacted on Tuesday night –stumbled to a nearby office block where he told staff he had been attacked before collapsing and dying from the single stab wound.
His alleged attacker is accused of then walking down to nearby Lake Macquarie and throwing the murder weapon into the water before waiting for police to arrive.
Mr Stone was taken to Belmont police station where he refused to be interviewed and was charged with the murder.
A motive had still not been established on Tuesday.
No one else is believed to have seen the attack, which happened in the vicinity of the pair’s cottage.
However, other housemates are believed to have heard the alleged attack and have given statements to Lake Macquarie detectives.
Mr Stone did not face Toronto Local Court on Tuesday and did not apply for bail before his case was adjourned to April. Magistrate Alan Railton ordered that the 25-year-old be kept under psychiatric supervision.
Hunter New England Health confirmed Mr Stone and his alleged victim had both been “transitioned” from the hospital’s Kestrel Unit, a medium-secure facility used to house civilian and forensic patients.
Both men were forensic patients – people held involuntarily within the health and justice systems for treatment following crimes – and lived together in a residence with up to four other patients under the “cottage rehabilitation program’’.
Hunter New England Health chief executive officer, Michael DiRienzo, said the program provided low-security and low-supervision facilities, with each of the eight cottages home to five or six people.
“We are deeply saddened by the events that have occurred on the Morisset Hospital campus and offer our sincere condolences to the patient's family,’’ Mr DiRienzo said.
“This was an isolated incident that is now under police investigation.
“Hunter New England Health is assisting as required and we will also conduct our own internal investigation.
“Appropriate support has been offered to all patients and staff involved.’’
SERVICE DEFENDS PROGRAM SAFETY
HUNTER New England Health has defended the program which moved two criminal psychiatric patients into lower supervision where one allegedly killed the other.
HNEH chief executive Michael DiRienzo confirmed the pair had been moved from the Kestrel Unit.
“Other cottage residents are voluntary or involuntary patients under the Mental Health Act, but who require a longer term and higher level of treatment than is offered in the community for functional disabilities and behavioural disturbances,’’ he said.
“The decision to transition a patient from the Kestrel Unit to the cottage rehabilitation program is made by the independent NSW Mental Health Review Tribunal.
“The tribunal assesses all patients recommended as candidates for the rehabilitation program, which includes consideration of the risks each individual poses. Only those patients who are deemed appropriate will enter the program.
“Staff report and manage any incidents in line with appropriate policies and procedures. In recent times, aside from this event, there have been no serious incidents.’’