Killer 'hurled abuse' at paramedic before attack

Paul Wells was killed by his neighbour in Highbridge, Somerset, in 2020

A paramedic who attended the house of a man who later that day went on to kill his neighbour, said he hurled "venomous" abuse at her when she tried to help him.

Richard Matthews, who had severe mental health problems, admitted fatally stabbing his neighbour Paul Wells in Highbridge, Somerset, on 25 June 2020, and was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order.

Giving evidence, Carly Hunt, a paramedic with South Western Ambulance Service, told an inquest she had been called to Matthews' house following a concerned call from his mother.

She said the home was "dark and dingy", and she was faced with constant abuse while inside, adding that the fire service had to break the door down for her after she tried unsuccessfully to gain access several times.

Ms Hunt told the inquest at Wells Town Hall she was called to Matthews' house at 11:30 BST on the 25 June 2020.

A wall outside the house had messages alleging he had been a victim of child abuse.

Matthews would only communicate with her by shouting from behind a closed door inside the house

There was a knife outside the door, which she described as a kitchen knife with a large blade and sharp point.

She said it made her feel "uneasy" as it would be "easy to grab".

She said in evidence her interactions with Richard Matthews made her believe he could be "quite a violent person" and became "more apprehensive around him the longer the job went on" and he likely needed mental health treatment.

She removed the knife for her own safety, initially putting it outside the back door, but later she moved it first to the front of the property and then back to the rear of the house.

She told the inquest that police officers who had arrived at the house instructed her to leave the knife in Richard Matthews' garden.

Matthews had 'capacity'

Ms Hunt was also questioned about whether she had told police that Matthews had "capacity" - that he was mentally fit to refuse treatment.

She told the inquest she accepted she was the proper person to make that assessment, as it was a "medical question".

She said in evidence that she felt she could not assess Matthews as she had not spoken to him face to face and he had not answered any of her questions.

But counsel to the inquest, Emma Zeb KC, told Ms Hunt that police bodyworn camera video clearly showed her saying: "I think he has capacity, that is my decision."

Ms Hunt said: "I don't know why I said it, because it's not something I felt.

"My only explanation is that I felt railroaded into saying it… I can't deny I said it because there's evidence I did, but I don't know why I did."

The police officers left the property shortly afterwards.

'Threatened with a knife'

Ms Hunt told the inquest she called a senior colleague to assist her after the police officers had left.

The senior colleague told her "I had done everything I could and that I should return to the station" and begin to fill in paperwork about her concerns.

On the way to the ambulance station, she called Richard Matthews' mother.

She told Ms Hunt the last time she had seen her son, he "threatened her with a knife" and was "dangerous".

Ms Hunt said: "She told me he was going to harm himself or kill somebody."

Ms Hunt relayed this to the same senior colleague, but he repeated his advice to return to the station and complete paperwork.

Richard Matthews killed Paul Wells shortly afterwards.

The inquest continues.