A tragic incident unfolded when a schizophrenic man killed a Travelodge receptionist after a series of errors left him unmedicated, a coroner has ruled.
The fatal attack, which shocked the community, occurred on December 9, 2020, at a hotel in Bournemouth, England.
Stephen Cole, 32 at the time, assaulted 27-year-old Marta Elena Vento with a set of hair clippers during a psychotic episode.
The Sequence of Failures That Led to the Attack
Cole, who had been released from prison without proper medication, was left vulnerable to a mental health relapse.
Despite warnings from prison staff, he was given only a four-week supply of antipsychotic medication upon his release, which quickly ran out.
Over the course of several days, Cole struggled to secure a new prescription, and his condition deteriorated.
On December 4, he was arrested for attacking guests and security staff at his temporary accommodation but was granted bail the following day without a full assessment.
The police and healthcare professionals failed to address Cole’s deteriorating mental health properly.
On December 7, a police officer observed Cole’s unsettling state but did not notify the hotel staff of the risk he posed.
Just a day later, Cole attacked Marta at the Travelodge, where she was working alone at the reception desk.
The Brutal Attack and its Aftermath
Marta Vento was killed in a brutal 42-minute assault, suffering 55 blunt force injuries, many of which were to her head.
She had only recently started working at the hotel and lived nearby.
Her body was discovered hours later by her manager.
Her family has struggled to understand how the healthcare and law enforcement systems allowed someone in Cole’s state to be released without adequate care.
The coroner’s report revealed a systemic failure in the care provided to Cole after his release from prison.
Had proper procedures been followed, Cole would not have relapsed into psychosis, and Marta’s death could have been prevented.
Systemic Failures Contribute to the Tragedy
Dorset coroner Rachael Griffin highlighted the significant failures in the system that allowed Cole to fall through the cracks.
“Had he been medicated and properly assessed, this tragedy would not have occurred,” Griffin said.
Cole had been released by the Practice Plus Group (PPG), a prison healthcare company, without a proper care plan in place.
This failure, along with other lapses in communication, led to Marta’s untimely death.
Family’s Grief and Struggle for Justice
Marta’s family has spent the past four years grappling with their loss and the failure of the system.
In a statement, they expressed their disbelief at how Cole’s mental health was not properly managed.
“Our daughter paid with her life for lapses in the English prison and policing systems.
The cost to our family can never be measured,” they said.
Their lawyer, Benjamin Burrows, stated that Marta’s death could have been avoided.
“Had Cole been provided continuity of care after his release, or if the police had properly assessed his risk, this tragedy would not have happened,” he said.
The family now hopes that this tragic case will lead to much-needed changes in how mental health patients are managed by both the prison and healthcare systems.