Freed Mental Care Patient Accused Of Stabbing Boy

A woman has been charged with attempting to murder an 11-year-old boy six weeks after she was released from a mental health unit in the south-west of England.

The youngster, who was taken to Crosshill Hospital, Kilmarnock, following the alleged stabbing in Saltcoats on Monday, was later transferred to Yorkhill Hospital, Glasgow, for further treatment where his condition was described yesterday as stable.

Members of the boy’s family say that he was stabbed 10 times to the upper body but his condition is not life-threatening.

Yesterday Cathleen McCulloch, 49, made no plea or declaration when she appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court charged with attempted murder. She was remanded in custody.

Last night, the woman’s family criticised the decision to allow her to leave the unit in Cornwall after they had appealed to NHS staff to give her more support.

She spent 19 days in Longreach House in Redruth after she was admitted under section 2 of the Mental Health Act. She was released last month despite protests from the family.

Members of Mrs McCulloch’s family, who could not attend the court hearing as it was in closed session, said they hoped there would be an NHS inquiry into how she came to be released.

Rab Mullen, one of Mrs McCulloch’s brothers, said: “We are devastated by what has happened. You have to understand it is terrifying for us. Cathleen is loved by all, especially her family. In recent months she took extremely unwell and was admitted to a mental institution. She did stupid things in there and was still released.”

Mrs McCulloch’s family in Saltcoats appealed to NHS staff to give her more help and when this was not forthcoming they drove her from her home in Redruth to a relative’s house in Saltcoats, believing she was not able to look after herself.

Mr Mullen said: “We told them the hospital she should not be in society. How can people as bad as she was administer their own medication? It was a travesty.”

Tim Archer, nurse executive for Cornwall Partnership Trust, which runs Longreach Hospital, said: “I have been made aware of an incident in Glasgow. As this is subject to a police investigation, the trust is unable to comment any further at this time.”