Mother Demands Accountability After Son’s Tragic Act Committed Amid Mental Health Crisis
Sharon Lees, a grieving mother, is calling for a public apology from the Hywel Dda health board following the tragic incident involving her son, David, and the family of Lewis Stone, the man he fatally stabbed. Sharon asserts that the devastating outcome could and should have been prevented. However, the health board cites confidential information as a barrier to publishing its report.
David Fleet was raised by Sharon in the picturesque coastal town of Borth, Ceredigion. Sharon fondly recalls David’s love for the beach and describes him as a reserved individual who would easily blend into a crowd. As he grew older, Sharon began noticing certain “tiny little obsessions” that led her to suspect he might be autistic. David received an autism diagnosis at the age of 15, but as he approached 17, Sharon became increasingly concerned about his well-being.
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“He seemed to believe that we had placed something on his head to erase his memory. It was as if he was seeing things that didn’t exist,” Sharon recalls. In an attempt to manage these symptoms, David turned to cannabis, which unfortunately exacerbated his sleeping difficulties.
One day, Sharon entered David’s bedroom to a distressing scene of significant self-harm. Alarmed, she rushed him to the emergency room, where he received treatment involving anti-psychotic medication. Once his condition improved, David moved away from home to pursue a college course. However, he eventually experienced a relapse and had to return to his mother’s care.
“It was clear that he was experiencing psychosis. He started asking bizarre questions about someone watching us,” Sharon explains. David also began bringing knives to bed and attempting to ignite small fires in his room. Concerned for his safety and that of others, Sharon made the difficult decision to take him to the hospital. She vividly recalls the struggle of prying the knife from his grip in order to get him into the car and seek medical attention.
In October 2018, David was detained under the Mental Health Act. However, during his home visits, Sharon informed hospital staff that he was still purchasing cannabis and seeking knives. After four months as an inpatient, the decision was made to transition David to home-based treatment.
“I couldn’t help but cry because I didn’t know how I would cope… he’s over 6ft tall, and I couldn’t physically prevent him from going out,” Sharon tearfully shares.
Tragically, on the early morning of February 28, 2019, just 10 days after being allowed home, David left the house armed with a knife. Sharon frantically attempted to contact him, growing increasingly alarmed as she noticed the air ambulance outside her window. She recounts feeling an overwhelming sense of dread. David had never encountered his victim before that fateful day.
Lewis Stone, a visitor from Staffordshire, was strolling along the River Leri with his dog when he was attacked by David. Fleet later revealed to psychiatrists that he believed if he hadn’t stabbed Mr. Stone, the voices in his head would have killed him.
The Stone family, devastated by the loss, describe the incident as the most horrific and heart-breaking event that shattered their lives. Mr. Stone, an admired and cherished family man, would have been defenseless against such an unprovoked attack.
BBC Wales Investigates has obtained a copy of an internal health board report concerning David’s care prior to the tragic incident. The report reveals that three weeks before the stabbing, a doctor had cautioned against David’s discharge due to his deteriorating mental state and the risks he posed with knives. However, David was sent home without an updated risk assessment, and staff failed to contact him as planned the day before the attack due to their