Inquiry into stabbed vicar death

Geraint Evans was detained indefinitely at a secure unit

A health watchdog is examining why a man with paranoid schizophrenia who stabbed a vicar to death was not identified as a threat.

News of the inquiry comes a year after Father Paul Bennett was killed outside his vicarage in Trecynon, Aberdare.

Geraint Evans, 24, from Trecynon, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on diminished responsibility.

The inquiry, ordered by the Welsh Assembly Government, is being carried out by Health Inspectorate Wales.

It is understood it will look into why Evans was not known to mental health services and examine the care he received and the events leading to Father Bennett's killing.

Evans, who was obsessed with the devil, was detained indefinitely at a high security psychiatric unit following the case at Cardiff Crown Court last October.

'Brewing inside'

He lived in a flat overlooking the vicarage of St Fagan's Church and had written his plans for the killing on his computer.

In October, the court heard Evans suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and a personality disorder, and had used cannabis and inhaled lighter fuel since his early teens.

Until his arrest for Father Bennett's killing, he had never been under the care of psychiatric services.

At the sentencing, David Aubrey QC, defending, had said: "This was brewing inside the defendant.

"Some people may have been aware of features of his condition, but little if anything was ever done.

"One can only wonder what would have been the result if anyone had done something earlier in his life."

After Evans was sentenced, Father Bennett's family called for a full inquiry.

At the time, Julie Hanchet, a cousin of his widow Georgina, said: "Someone must have known how disturbed this man was and could have intervened.

"Where were the mental health services? We need to know where the failings have been. We ask that an inquiry is called and persons be held accountable. Our family needs answers."

On Friday, parishioners in Trecynon will mark the first anniversary of Father Bennett's death by attending a memorial service at the church.

A Church in Wales spokeswoman said Father Bennett's family had requested the service will be a "quiet occasion for parishioners only".

Father Paul Bennett was 59 at the time of his death

The Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan who has welcomed the inquiry, said: "It has been a very difficult year for the parish and it's going to take a long time for it to recover from such a tragedy.

"The thoughts and prayers of the whole church will be with the family as they face this painful anniversary."

A Welsh Assembly Government spokesman confirmed "an independent external review into the homicide of Father Paul Bennett is under way and will report later this year."

A spokeswoman for Healthcare Inspectorate Wales said: "We have been asked to undertake a review by the minister for health and social services."

They would make no further comment as they were part way through the investigation, the spokeswoman added.