In a shocking case that has shaken the nation, the family of a 74-year-old pensioner who was brutally killed in a “ritual sacrifice” has condemned the authorities for their catastrophic failures. Roger Leadbeater, a special needs bus driver, was stabbed multiple times by Emma Borowy, a 32-year-old woman who had absconded from a mental health unit in Bolton, as he walked his dog in a Sheffield park in August 2023.
At an inquest held in Sheffield, coroner Tanyka Rawden delivered a damning verdict, concluding that the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust had failed to follow its own policies and did not have an accurate risk assessment, meaning Borowy’s request for escorted leave would likely have been rejected if the proper procedures had been followed. The coroner also criticised the handover processes of both Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire police forces when dealing with vulnerable missing persons.
Speaking outside the coroner’s court, Mr Leadbeater’s niece, Angela Hector, delivered a scathing rebuke to the authorities. “I ask those who were in positions of trust – Greater Manchester Mental Health, Greater Manchester Police and South Yorkshire Police – Emma Borowy put her trust in you to keep her safe and well. The public put their trust in you to protect us. You all failed on every level,” she said.
The inquest heard how Borowy, who had paranoid schizophrenia, had absconded from the unit nine times, attempted to abscond 15 times, and failed to return from leave three times. Despite this, permission was still given for her to have escorted leave just two days before the attack on Mr Leadbeater.
Rawden concluded that the decision to grant Borowy leave was “not reasonable or proportionate”, and she will be sending prevention of future death reports to the police forces as well as the Home Office, the College of Policing and the National Police Chief’s Council.
Julian Hendy, from the Hundred Families charity which supports families after mental health-related killings, said: “We’ve heard that serious failings by many agencies all played a part in what happened to Roger. Without them, it’s highly likely that Roger would still be alive today.”
The authorities have acknowledged their failures and promised to implement changes to prevent such tragedies from occurring again. However, for Mr Leadbeater’s family, the pain and devastation of their loss can never be undone. As Angela Hector poignantly stated, “Roger will never come home. That outcome cannot change.”
