Psychiatrist 'let crazed bodybuilder free to kill and dismember two women,' tribunal hears

A schizophrenic killed two women after a senior psychiatrist discharged him from hospital against the advice of other doctors and the man's own family, a medical tribunal heard yesterday.

Dr Eric Birchall, 70, released bodybuilder Mark Corner into the community, telling GPs he posed little risk to the public. But less than a year later 29-year-old Corner - who was a cannabis smoker, had a history of violence and harboured murderous thoughts - killed two prostitutes in separate attacks.

He butchered Hanane Parry, 19, and 25-yearold Pauline Stephen before dumping their body parts in bin bags in a Liverpool alleyway. Other parts were found in his freezer. Both women were so badly mutilated that police were unable to say exactly how they died.

Corner was sentenced to indefinite detention under the Mental Health Act after admitting manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Yesterday, a hearing of the General Medical Council in Manchester was told that Corner, who had mental health problems from the age of 12, had been sectioned in 2002 after trying to stab a female neighbour with a kitchen knife.

Corner told one doctor he had an "abnormal interest in girls who died and were dismembered".

Experts concluded he was likely to become dangerous if he went back to using alcohol, cannabis and cocaine. A mental health tribunal ruled that Corner, from Everton, should not be released.

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But Dr Birchall agreed to discharge Corner from the Ferndale mental health unit in Liverpool less than a month later, telling his GP the risk to others was low.

Within a fortnight Corner had taken an overdose of paracetamol. He told doctors he had stopped taking medication for his schizophrenia and had begun drinking and smoking cannabis.

Corner's father pleaded with the doctors to readmit his son, but again Corner was discharged.

In the months before the killings he missed two of three outpatient appointments and was seen just once by his GP. He also admitted taking up to 70 Ecstasy tablets a week and hearing voices again.

The panel was told that Corner was arrested in July 2003 and charged with the murder of both prostitutes.

He was convicted of their manslaughter and detained indefinitely in that December.

An inquiry said Dr Birchall had committed "grave errors of judgment" when he discharged Corner. His claim that the risk was "low" was "inaccurate and misleading".

Yesterday, Craig Sephton, for the GMC, told the tribunal: "It is not part of my case to say that Dr Birchall was responsible for those murders but it is our job to find out what happened.

"We suggest that he did not devise an adequate care plan. We say that Dr Birchall did not adjust the care plan to accommodate the new features of the case."

If found guilty of misconduct Dr Birchall, who no longer works for the Mersey Care NHS Trust, could be struck off the medical register and banned from practising.

The tribunal continues.