Matthew Hill represented the family of Marta Elena Vento at a six-week inquest before HM Senior Coroner for Dorset. Marta was killed by a recently released prisoner with an unmedicated psychotic condition as she worked alone and overnight as a hotel receptionist. Her killer had been discharged from prison with 28 days’ medication, but with no arrangements in place for follow-up care. He was being managed as a sex offender by Dorset Police. The Coroner identified two arguable breaches of article 2 ECHR (the right to life) and found that Marta’s death was caused or contributed to by “a failure to sufficiently plan and ensure the continuity of his mental health care upon his release from prison” and by inadequate offender management by the police.
Matthew was instructed by Benjamin Burrows and Ellie Sutherland of Leigh Day.
