Hannah Kilgallon inquest told she had 'severe mental episode'

Hannah Kilgallon had been on leave from Lynfield Mount Hospital in Bradford when the fire took place at her home

A woman who died in a house fire after leaving a psychiatric hospital had suffered a "severe mental episode" days before, an inquest heard.

Hannah Kilgallon was allowed to leave Bradford's Lynfield Mount in February 2019 but failed to return when agreed.

She had been admitted as a voluntary patient after police found her naked on a bus.

A post-mortem found that Ms Kilgallon had drunk white spirit and died from burns sustained in the fire.

The inquest heard how the 50-year-old suffered with mental health issues, including bi-polar disorder, and had spent several periods of time as an inpatient at the hospital.

Alcohol and drug misuse were also said to have had a significant impact on her behaviour.

On 8 February 2019, PC Richard Murgatroyd and a colleague were called to deal with Ms Kilgallon because of concerns for her safety after she was found undressed on the bus.

PC Murgatroyd told the inquest he believed she had suffered a "severe mental episode".

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At the time, she had been discharged from the mental health unit and was living back at her Haworth Road home.

She was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary and because of her "agitated and unpredictable behaviour" the officers detained under the Mental Health Act.

Ms Kilgallon was later assessed by consultant psychiatrist Jane Clark who told the hearing that because she had expressed a wish to be re-admitted, she did not need to be sectioned.

The inquest heard Ms Kilgallon had gone to bed that night on the ward and the next day spoke to mental health nurse Elaine Stewart about the prospect of being allowed leave.

She had told staff she wanted to go home and tidy her house as well as get some rest, because it was too noisy to sleep on the unit.

In a statement read out at the hearing, Ms Stewart said Ms Kilgallon had appeared "clinically stable" and denied having any thoughts about self-harming so was granted informal leave.

The inquest was told she was found dead the next day at her home in Haworth Road.

In a statement read out at the hearing, PC Murgatroyd said he was "extremely shocked and saddened" to hear about her death, adding: "Staff at the Airedale General Hospital had told me she was very unwell after we left her in their care."

Previously, Mrs Kilgallon's family told the inquest that she was a "severe risk", but "wasn't taken seriously time and time again".

The hearing continues.