Lisa Skidmore inquest: Rapist 'struggled with life out of prison’
A convicted rapist was ‘struggling with life out of prison’ before he murdered a nurse in Bilston, a jury inquest heard.
Leroy Campbell’s sex offender manager, PC Nigel Martin, said Campbell appeared to be ‘overwhelmed’ when he met him for an assessment.
Campbell, who was on licensed release from prison, went on to rape and murder Lisa Skidmore at her home in Mill Croft, Bilston, on November 24, 2016.
He had been released from prison on July 25, 2016, less than four months earlier, having served 16 years of a public protection prison term.
PC Martin told the Black Country Coroners Court: “He gave me the impression of someone struggling out of prison. It had become overwhelming for him.
“The mood he was in, the negative thoughts - that was something he recognised,” said PC Martin.
“He knew the signs and how to manage those thoughts.”
More from the inquest:
Campbell told PC Martin that he was at a tram stop experiencing negative thoughts which “he had the last time he committed his previous offences,” PC Martin told the court.
Campbell had also expressed concerns to probation officer Audrey Spence that he was feeling isolated and was noticing open windows in a meeting on October 17, a Monday, where he appeared tearful.
Ms Spence notified DC Tracey Dale, a sex offender manager and colleague of PC Martin, about Campbell’s remarks in a telephone call, but did not include the part about him noticing open windows, the court heard. DC Dale followed that up with a visit to Campbell as PC Martin was on holiday.
DC Dale told the court: “Audrey said she would refer Campbell to Circles, which is a community based group. It was not relayed to me about him noticing open windows. It would have been appropriate to tell me. I would say that means sexual offences.”
The court heard how Campbell's mood had lifted that week upon DC Dale's visit.
She continued: “When I visited Campbell, we discussed how he was feeling. He seemed very calm and relaxed. It wasn’t the same person that was described on Monday by Audrey. He wasn’t animated, jittery or nervous.”
