MAN WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES KILLS GIRLFRIEND AFTER HEARING VOICES

A man named James Kennedy has been involved in a tragic incident where he killed his girlfriend, Joanne Gallacher, at his residence in Biggar. The incident occurred after Kennedy claimed to have experienced auditory hallucinations, believing he could hear Joanne’s thoughts and that she intended to harm him in his sleep. Kennedy told a nurse at Hairmyers Hospital that he believed Joanne was going to attack him, which led to him sleeping rough in the woods near her home. The fatal event took place hours after Joanne had been out Christmas shopping with her mother in December 2018. During the law inquiry, Kennedy admitted culpable homicide due to diminished responsibility and expressed that he believed Joanne would harm him, with notes indicating he was hearing voices telling him to harm himself. It was also revealed that Kennedy had previously spent time as an inpatient at a psychiatric unit after threatening people and brandishing a knife at a doctor’s surgery, as well as attacking a neighbor’s door with an axe. He was released from hospital a month later. The inquiry, which is being held at Hamilton Sheriff Court, also disclosed that Kennedy was considered a “suicide risk” and had shown paranoia and violent tendencies, including references to wanting to kill someone he owed money to and threats of throwing acid. Kennedy is currently detained in the State Hospital at Carstairs, and the investigation was initiated last year by the Lord Advocate, citing concerns over public safety.