Express & Star

Star comment: Lessons are still not being learned

Ask any police officer to list their biggest day-to-day challenges and mental health is likely to be high up on the list.

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Victim Jacob Billington (Family/West Midlands Police/PA)

Officers, along with paramedics, spend a great deal of their time dealing with situations in which mental health is a factor.

In most cases, welfare is the issue. But there can be situations that are far more serious.

The case of paranoid schizophrenic Zephaniah McLeod is tragic on so many levels.

Jacob Billington had so much to live for when he was attacked randomly by McLeod. He lost his life and his friend Michael Callaghan received life-changing injuries. Others in Birmingham that day were also set upon and the attacker faced a manslaughter charge as well as four counts of attempted murder and three charges of wounding.