The family of a mentally-ill former commando who murdered an elderly dog walker had warned health bosses he had been collecting knives.
Alexander Palmer, 24, had never met Peter Wrighton, 83, when he sneaked up behind Wrighton and stabbed him up to 45 times in the ‘savage’ attack in woodland near East Harling, Norfolk.
Palmer was jailed for life in March and ordered to serve a minimum of 28 years after being convicted of murdering Mr Wrighton, who was walking his dogs when he was killed last August.
The mentally-ill man’s family said they voiced their concerns to mental health professionals, informing them Palmer had been purchasing knives before the attack.
Alexander Palmer (left) stabbed to death elderly dog walker Peter Wrighton, 83, (right) in a ‘savage’ random attack in woodland near East Harling, Norfolk last August
Palmer’s mother and stepfather (pictured together), who have not been named, say they had warned health bosses the ex-Marine had been collecting knives
Palmer’s mother and stepfather told BBC Look East the severity of his mental illness had not been appreciated, even though the experts noted it was ‘inevitable’ Palmer would kill someone.
His mother, who has not been named, told the broadcaster that Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust had missed chances to prevent the killing.
She said: ‘It says in the letter ”mum was concerned about what Alex was going to do with those knives”. There was no ”this is a mental health patient with a machete”.’
His stepfather said: ‘They were talking to him like he was a teenager as opposed to a trained soldier.’
Palmer’s mother added: ‘They [mental health professionals] thought we were busybodies, interfering in Alex’s mental health and care, because they were the experts.
‘I am not going to blame them solely, maybe we should have done more, but the amount of times we were treated like we were interfering, it didn’t matter how desperate I was.’
Palmer was jailed for life in March and ordered to serve a minimum of 28 years after being convicted of murdering Wrighton, who was walking his dogs when stabbed up to 45 times
Palmer’s mother and stepfather told BBC Look East the severity of his mental illness had not been appreciated, even though it was noted it was ‘inevitable’ he would kill. Palmer (circled) served in the military for five years
Palmer’s stepfather added: ‘Peter Wrighton paid the price and his family continues to do so.’
The BBC reported the NHS trust was aware Palmer had knives and that he was told to get rid of them and that he would ‘hopefully’ comply.
The trust told the broadcaster an internal review would be completed by the summer and offered its support to the victim’s family and others affected by the death.
The pensioner was left with injuries so severe that officers initially believed he had been attacked by a wild animal.
It is understood Palmer served with 29 Commando, suffered a head injury in 2014 after he was assaulted by a colleague and was given NHS mental health treatment at RAF Marham in 2015 before he was medically discharged that November.
Speaking after Palmer was convicted at Nottingham Crown Court, Mr Wrighton’s daughter Carol Todd said: ‘My dad, Peter Wrighton, was viciously attacked while walking his dogs. He was quite simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.’
It is understood Palmer served with 29 Commando, suffered a head injury in 2014 after he was assaulted by a colleague and was given NHS mental health treatment at RAF Marham in 2015 before he was medically discharged that November
She continued: ‘The shock of it has been compounded by the fact he was such a lovely, gentle person who people always warmed to.
‘The revelations of the evidence relating to the mental health of Alexander Palmer have shocked, astounded and angered us.
‘Evidently an intelligent person, he was able to take himself off medication and get himself discharged from care.
‘We feel this should not have happened and mental health professionals failed him, his family and our family.
‘My mum, brother, myself and our children not only feel grief but anger, as we believe this crime could have been prevented.’
At the sentencing of Palmer, the court heard he had developed plans to kill dog walkers and told a mental health professional he ‘would be on a pedestal, up with the big ones, everyone would look up to me, everyone would know me by name’.