Zak O'Neill admits killing mother Michelle in Cheltenham

The court heard how a neighbour had heard a commotion at Michelle O'Neil's home

A 21-year-old man has been given a hospital order after admitting killing his mother.

Zak O'Neill, of Salamanca Road, Cheltenham killed Michelle O'Neill on 15 March 2022, in a situation the judge described as "the stuff of nightmares".

The 47-year-old was found with dozens of stab wounds to her face and neck.

Bristol Crown Court heard her son had called police the day before the stabbing saying he was worried about his mental health.

O'Neill, 21, admitted manslaughter with diminished responsibility and was given a hospital order.

The order means he will not be able to be discharged, transferred or given leave from the hospital without Ministry of Justice permission.

'Much missed'

In a statement Ms O'Neil's family expressed their shock at the tragedy:

"Michelle was a much-loved mother, daughter and sister," they said.

"She was devoted to her sons with whom she had a loving relationship, which makes this tragedy so shocking and difficult to come to terms with.

"Michelle is much missed and will be forever in our hearts."

"This is a tragic case where a son has killed his mother due to experiencing delusional beliefs at the time," said Det Insp Adam Stacey from Gloucestershire Police.

"From our investigation and subsequent psychiatric reports, it's shown that this awful act didn't come from a place of hate, but instead Zak O'Neill thought his actions would have a different outcome.

"In his mind, due to his mental illness, he thought he was on some form of spiritual journey or quest, and he believed he was trying to save their souls."

Zak O'Neill went to a local pub and told staff he had killed his mum.

Judge William Hart said: "This is a tragic, miserable case. There was no sign of conflict with his mother.

"Zak was seriously mentally unwell, and still is. It's not the police or crisis team's fault."

The court heard how the day before the stabbing, O'Neill had phoned the police saying he was worried about his own mental state and that he was dangerous.

Gloucestershire Police referred him to the mental health crisis team who he then spoke with.

He also searched on his phone for "suicide", "family killer" and "schizophrenic murder".

On the morning of the incident, Ms O'Neill's mother came to walk her dogs and noticed her grandson's car was outside.

By the time she'd walked the dogs and come back to the house, the car was gone, and she found blood through the hallway.

'Voices in my head'

Ms O'Neill was found lying down covered in injuries to her head and neck and 999 was called.

The court heard how a neighbour had heard a commotion but was unaware of what had happened.

O'Neill went to the now-closed Air Balloon pub in Birdlip, covered in blood and told staff he'd killed his mum.

Police were called and he told them he had voices in his head and that he didn't know who he was.

Michelle O'Neill was found dead at a property in Cheltenham on 15 March

The court heard how there was no evidence of any animosity between the 21-year-old, who was 19 at the time, and his mother - in fact the opposite.

He told police: "I love my mum and she loves me, I want to be in heaven with her."

The court heard how O'Neill said voices in his head told him to do something bad, and the worst thing he could think of was to kill his mother.

He also stabbed and significantly injured himself that day.

The 21-year-old's girlfriend at the time, told the court O'Neill was a "nice compassionate person".

"I can't remember Zak and Michelle ever falling out - they would talk about everything, daily," she said.

'A blameless woman'

The defendant's manager at Dominos, where he had worked for nine months, told the court O'Neill was "lovely, a really nice guy and got on with everyone at the store".

The night before, whilst on shift, he was notably tearful and he asked to leave early, which he did.

Doctors recommended a hospital order section 37, with an additional section 41 - meaning the Ministry of Justice has to decide any leave, discharge, or transfer.

Judge Hart said: "This is tragic. A blameless woman whose life was cut short in brutal circumstances."

"The signs were that you'd make a positive contribution to your family and in life."

The judge added the case had been "the stuff of nightmares" and was an "example of the terrible effect mental illness can have on a person".

Addressing O'Neill, the judge said: "What the future holds for you is impossible to tell.

"The remorse of what you've done must be an enormous burden."

If you, or someone you know, have been affected by any of the issues or topics covered in this story, you can visit BBC Action Line to find information and organisations that can help.