Mother of man killed in transphobic and homophobic attack says she does not blame his killer (VIDEO)
Mo Lound said that she holds the mental health services responsible for the death of her son William, not his schizophrenic killer.
The mother of a talented student brutally murdered in a homophobic and transphobic attack says that she does not hold her son’s killer responsible for his death.
University of Salford student William Lound was discovered with multiple stab injuries at his flat in Bramall Court halls of residence in February.
VIDEO: Mum of murdered William Lound speaks outside court after son’s killer jailed for life #ChampNews #Southport pic.twitter.com/KggBnHRZLs
— Ollie Cowan (@Ollie_Cowan) August 1, 2016
Yesterday, Lee Arnold – who has paranoid schizophrenia and anti-social personality disorder – was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 23 years and four months for stabbing 30-year-old Mr Lound 12 times, after pleading guilty to the crime last month.
However, speaking after Arnold’s sentencing, Mr Lound’s mother, Mo, said: “I do not blame Lee Arnold for what he did, I blame the system which allowed it to happen.
“Arnold is a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic with a history of violence and has spent much of his adult life in secure institutions.
“He should not have been roaming the streets of Greater Manchester without supervision.”
The murder occurred after Arnold went to Lound’s room after the duo met in Manchester’s homeless “tented village”.
The pair had sex, before Arnold took a knife from the kitchen and stabbed his victim six times in the upper back and six times in the head and neck.
In Arnold’s account of the murder, he said Lound asked repeatedly: “Why are you doing this to me?” and he responded: “Shut up you little freak.”
Following Lound’s death, Arnold drew an arrow on the wall above the bed pointing to the victim’s body, next to the words: “Number 1. Your not reddy [sic] for me. I always win. Tick tock.”
He later altered authorities to his crime.
At the time of the murder, Arnold had 19 previous convictions and had previously spent seven years in a psychiatric unit.
In the months leading up to his crime, Arnold had attempted suicide on a number of occasions, informing authorities that he wanted to kill himself before he caused harm to anybody else.
Speaking to the press outside court in Manchester, Ms Lound said: “How many other Lee Arnolds are loose on the streets of our towns and cities, with the potential to kill or injure innocent people?
“Perhaps it is time our government woke up to the fact that investment in mental health services is totally inadequate.”
In a double tragedy for Ms Lound, her daughter Virginia – also know as Gini – took her own life just three months after her brother’s death, as she struggled to cope with his murder.
“Last Christmas I had two wonderful children who I loved very dearly and was very proud of,” Mo Lound told the court. “This Christmas I will be alone.”
