05 December 2023 , 10:42
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A son who beat his dad to death in his own home and left him covered in blood and not breathing has read a poem titled “Wish You Were Here” at his inquest.
Daniel Harrison, 38, appeared via videolink from a secure hospital where he read poems he had written in honour of his dad including one he said he wrote for Father's Day. He had killed Dr Kim Harrison, 68, after fleeing from a mental health facility and later pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
The renowned chest consultant was attacked in the kitchen of the family home in Clydach in the Swansea Valley on March 12 last year, suffering catastrophic face and neck injuries from which he would never recover.
The retired medic was beaten to death by his own son (WALES NEWS SERVICE)After the attack, Daniel Harrison caught a bus to the centre of Swansea. After buying provisions at the Tesco Express opposite the railway station he caught a train to London. He was tracked down to the Rathbone Hotel in Paddington where he was arrested by Met Police officers the following day as he ran a bath.
He was later made the subject of a hospital order and Swansea Crown Court heard that given the nature of his mental disorders it may never be safe to release him back into the community, reports Wales Online.
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The inquest heard details of Daniel Harrison's mental health difficulties which went back to 2007 when he first suffered a "schizophrenic-like episode". His mental health deteriorated over the years and he began to suffer from bouts of paranoia, delusions, auditory hallucinations, and "thought broadcasting" where he believed other people could hear his thoughts.
During the inquest, Dr Harrison's family paid tribute to his kindness, compassion, and patience, to his dedication to his work, and to the love he had for his family. Giving evidence, Daniel Harrison’s mum Jane Harrison detailed the many attempts the family had made to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan in place for her son as his condition deteriorated over the years.
Daniel Harrison had absconded from Neath Port Talbot Hospital before the attack (WALES NEWS SERVICE)She described a period after Harrison returned to live at the family home and "took over" the property, turning off the electricity supply, moving computer equipment about, stopping his mother from lighting a fire, and "controlling" his parents even down to what they ate. Mrs Harrison told the court: "We felt completely powerless... We felt desperate." The inquest heard the couple eventually made a formal complaint about the way Swansea Bay University Health Board had handled their son's case.
Mrs Harrison said it seemed to the family that it took the death of her husband before her son got the appropriate treatment he needed. She added that she did not think the health board had learned any lessons from the incident and appeared more interested in possible reputational damage and "covering up and pretending it never happened". The inquest, which is expected to last two weeks, continues.