Family Of Ex-Commando Who Murdered Dog Walker Raised Concerns Over His Mental Health

The parents of a mentally ill former commando had raised concerns that he was collecting knives before he murdered an elderly dog walker in a "savage" random attack.

Alexander Palmer, 24, stabbed to death Peter Wrighton who was walking his dogs in woodland near East Harling, Norfolk, in August.

Palmer was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 28 years after being convicted of murdering Mr Wrighton.

The pensioner, who was stabbed up to 45 times, was left with injuries so severe that officers initially believed he had been attacked by a wild animal.

It is understood Palmer, who 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.

Palmer's mother and stepfather told BBC Look East the severity of his mental illness had not been appreciated.

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: "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's stepfather added: "Peter Wrighton paid the price and his family continues to do so."

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.

"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".

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.