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Killer dies on railway after fleeing psychiatric unit
Anna Davis18 Feb 2009
A KILLER who escaped from a psychiatric hospital in south London committed suicide in front of a train within hours of fleeing.
Paul Caesar, 36, who was last seen at Springfield Hospital in Tooting at 11am yesterday, jumped in front of a train at Balham station three hours later. Police today confirmed his identity.
He fled after he was let out of the secure building to walk in the grounds. A spokesman for South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust, said he had "failed to return from unescorted ground leave". Caesar was committed to a psychiatric unit for an indefinite period in 1997 after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of a 44-year-old man in Battersea.
In 2004 paranoid schizophrenic John Barrett escaped from the unit before fatally stabbing a cyclist in Richmond Park. The same year, a patient convicted of attempted murder went on the run for a week. In November last year murder suspect John Claydon, 28, escaped but was recaptured after three days.
Springfield was inspected by the Healthcare Commission after complaints about the state of the wards and the behaviour of staff. Its report last month said one building was in a very poor condition with dirty lavatories and showers.
Reader views (8)
Phew ... saw the headline and thought Sutcliffe was out already ...
- Marianne, SW France
Be patient Marianne,.........He soon will be!He soon will be!
Those of the rose tinted glasses & polka dot bow tie brigade will convince the numpties in power that he is safe to walk the streets!"
- Geronimo, LONDON MIDDLESEX, 19/02/2009 02:57
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Liz, after witnessing my mother's treatment for the last 30 years, I can assure you that the NHS is completely incapable of monitoring / caring for severely mentally ill patients. They also do everything within their capability to deny responsibility, lie, close ranks, and refuse to take complaints from family members by claiming that 'the patient' has to make the complaint (who is blatantly too ill to do so) and by insinuating that families just 'want rid' of problem relatives by having them locked up. This is simply not true. If you knew a beloved relative wasn't in their right mind and was dangerous / at high risk of danger, you would expect the NHS to care for them at a high level but they absolutely don't.
- Real, London, 19/02/2009 00:00
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Damn decent of him . . . will save the taxpayers of the UK a small fortune.
- Eoin Mcgreeghan, Derry, NI, 18/02/2009 23:55
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I live across the road from springfield hosp and once AGAIN a dangerous murderer is allowed to escape and puts all our saftey at risk in the local community... this happens every month at scpringfeid it should be CLOSED as the management /staff seem INCAPABLE of running it properly ...
- Liza, SW London, 18/02/2009 18:39
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And yet we are repeatedly told that paranoid schizophrenics don't murder people and it's an unfair accusation. Not to mention that they are now to be 'cared for at home / in the community' under new NHS changes. My mother is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and has NO IDEA what she is doing when ill - therefore not culpable - but also not SAFE. Altho the number of murders committed by schizophrenics are not statistically high overall, discount domestic violence and interpersonal violence where perpetrator and victim already know each other and I would guarantee that ALL unmotivated random acts of murder are committed by delusional psychotics - to murder someone you have never met for no reason can only indicate severe psychosis surely? Therefore severely psychotic people are extremely dangerous.
- Real, London, 18/02/2009 18:13
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It has been reported that he "has died after being hit by a train"
- Dave, London, 18/02/2009 13:00
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Just watching Sky news and it looks like this guy is believed to have been hit and killed by a train while on the run.
- Ray Leonard, Wiltshire, 18/02/2009 12:51
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Phew ... saw the headline and thought Sutcliffe was out already ...
- Marianne, SW France, 18/02/2009 11:52
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