Skipton man sentenced for manslaughter after stabbing parents more than 280 times

David Taylor, aged 37, received a prison sentence after admitting to the manslaughter of his parents, John and Beverley Taylor, following an assault at their home in Skipton in December 2021. The court described the attack as a "frenzy of violence," during which Taylor stabbed his mother and father over 280 times. It was noted that Taylor was experiencing mental health difficulties, including diagnoses of schizophrenia and paranoid psychosis. He told medical professionals that voices had commanded him to kill in order to stop his family from "suffering for eternity." Records showed that he had struggled with mental health issues for several years, being diagnosed earlier in 2021 and discharged from hospital before seeking further help in August of that year. On the day before the incident, Taylor acquired a prescription but was unable to retrieve his medication, and empty medication containers were later found in his room after his arrest. Following the attack, he contacted police and confessed to the murders. At Bradford Crown Court, Taylor was sentenced to a hybrid order combining hospital care and imprisonment, with a minimum term of nine years. The court was told that his mental health remained unstable after the event, with ongoing hallucinations and potential for harm. His sister expressed her grief, stating, "We didn’t just lose our parents in this tragedy – we lost our brother too," and highlighted that Taylor must have been in deep turmoil and had not received sufficient help, which contributed to the violence. The court also observed that Taylor used three knives during the assault, suggesting some level of awareness. An independent review into his treatment prior to the incident will be conducted to explore whether better care could have prevented the tragedy.