Killer who stabbed pregnant woman, 29, to death with a screwdriver as she decorated her nursery had walked out of mental health unit despite telling doctors he believed he was descended from dinosaurs, inquest hears

• Ryan Blacknell, 28, stabbed pregnant Ella Parker to death with a screwdriver 
• Miss Parker, 29, had been decorating her nursery at home in Milton Keynes 
• Blacknell was detained under the Mental Health Act after admitting killing
• Inquest heard he had walked out of mental health unit before the attack

A killer who stabbed a pregnant woman to death had been allowed to leave a mental health unit despite being ‘very psychotic’ and telling doctors that he was descended from dinosaurs, an inquest heard today.

Ryan Blacknell, 28, had agreed to visit the Campbell Centre in-patient mental health unit days before attacking Ella Parker while she was decorating the nursery at her home in December 2017.

An inquest before Dr Sean Cummings today heard that Blacknell’s mother had called police saying that he had threatened with her a knife.

While at the mental health unit, he told medical staff that he believed he was descended from dinosaurs.

Though community psychiatric nurse Celestina Onah recommended he stay in hospital for 48 hours, she did not have ‘concrete reasons’ for him to be detained under the Mental Health Act – meaning he was allowed to leave.

Blacknell later stabbed Miss Parker 33 times with a screwdriver at her flat in Milton Keynes, killing the 29-year-old and her unborn son.  

Ryan Blacknell (pictured) had agreed to visit the Campbell Centre in-patient mental health unit days before attacking Ella Parker while she was decorating the nursery at her home in Milton Keynes in December 2017 

Blacknell later stabbed Miss Parker (pictured) 33 times with a screwdriver at her flat in New Bradwell, killing the 29-year-old and her unborn son died 

In 2018, the killer was detained at Broadmoor Psychiatric Hospital under mental health laws after pleading guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. 

Miss Onah told the inquest today: ‘He (Blacknell) came across as very psychotic, but was trying his best to cover that up. 

‘The threats to his mum indicated he was not well. He was asking ‘Can I please go?’. I said ‘You are not well enough to leave’.  

Miss Onah said if he had remained, he could have been assessed without the effects of any drugs or alcohol in his system.

The nurse was asked by the coroner if she was commonly presented with patients saying they were descended from dinosaurs or were dinosaurs.  

She replied: ‘Yes, they present with delusions or paranoid. Sometimes it may be drug and alcohol symptoms.’ 

The crime scene at Miss Parker’s home in Milton Keynes in December 2017

The coroner asked: ‘Now you know she was viciously killed, was there anything you missed?’.

She replied: ‘I think maybe if we had not let him out initially we would have been able to assess his mental health. I did communicate my concerns (to staff at the hospital). I am not sure what I could have done differently.’

Gareth Powell, a social worker and approved mental health worker for Milton Keynes council, said he and two doctors assessed Ryan Blacknell at the police station after his arrest.

He said they believed he had the mental capacity to be interviewed by detectives.

‘We did not believe he was presenting with a severe mental health issue at that stage,’ Mr Powell said.

‘If he was observed in another environment they may conclude he may have a more severe mental illness.’

The inquest continues.  

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