Examples given include Raymond Sinclair - who killed his mother in 1994 while under the influence of alcohol bought to stave off the alcohol withdrawal symptoms he had been experiencing on the day of the homicide. In another case, an enquiry into the death of hostel worker Jonathan Newby acknowledges that substance misuse could have been the key factor. By ignoring its role in these homicides, society fails people with mental health problems who are unnecessarily labelled as dangerous. It also fails substance misusers who do not get the services they need - and it fails to protect the public because one of the central causes of these homicides is ignored. Jonathan Newby s mother has also been invited to the briefing.
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