Teenager murdered in care home said social services ‘destroyed my life’, inquest told
A teenager who was murdered by a fellow care home resident wrote a letter that social services had “destroyed my life”, her inquest has heard,Melissa Mathieson, 18, who was killed by Jason Conroy, said she was “dragged away” from home when she was placed at Alexandra House in Bristol,In the letter titled “Social services have destroyed my life”, Mathieson wrote: “I felt I was being dragged away from my home and everything I knew and been completely disrupted,They never took into consideration my age or the distance from my family,I was still a child, just very confused.
”The inquest, which is taking place more than 10 years after Mathieson died, heard that her parents believed social workers fuelled her fantasy of what living in care away from her family would be like,Her father, James Mathieson, expressed concern that it had taken so long for the inquest to begin and said lessons had to be learned from his daughter’s death,Conroy was jailed for life a year after killing Mathieson, who was from Windsor, Berkshire, in 2014,A serious case review found the attack was predictable and preventable as Conroy had assaulted other women and Alexandra House was fined,James Mathieson told the inquest at Avon coroner’s court that his daughter was kind, gentle and wanted to work in a children’s nursery.
She was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder aged seven, had difficulties with her speech and was bullied at school.James Mathieson said she became obsessed with the fictional Jacqueline Wilson character Tracy Beaker, who lived “happily” in a residential care home nicknamed the Dumping Ground.He said social workers talked to her about living in care, which fuelled a “fantasy” of what it would be like.He said: “Whenever social services became involved, her social worker would talk to Melissa about going into care, without really explaining to her what this actually meant.This encouraged Melissa to develop this fantasy of care as being the answer to all her problems.
”He said that just after Mathieson’s 17th birthday she was admitted to hospital with anxiety and after that moved between care homes, returning home only intermittently.“No one seemed to listen to us or involve us in the decisions being made,” he said.Mathieson moved to Alexandra House – about 80 miles from the family home – three days after her 18th birthday.James Mathieson spoke to his daughter the night before she died.She was tired and he told her to go sleep.
“She was killed in her sleep,” he said,“I have to live with that,”Her mother, Karen Mathieson, died from cancer at the end of 2015,James Mathieson said he believed Melissa would have helped care for her,“I think in some way it would have made her,” he said.
Maria Voisin, the senior coroner for Avon, said the inquest had been delayed by legal proceedings but James Mathieson said: “I should not have had to wait for over 10 years for this inquest to happen,I feel it should have happened shortly after to ensure that something like this doesn’t happen again,”A statement from Karen Mathieson read out in court said she and her husband had found the involvement of social services “impossible”,It said: “From the age of about 16, we felt we no longer had a voice – social services were putting ideas into her head about living away from home and ultimately it was this that put Melissa in danger,Karen Mathieson said Conroy’s problems should have been addressed.
“There were warning signs.These were missed and nothing will bring Melissa back,” she said.“The system failed him and failed Melissa.”The inquest continues.
People in the US: are you delaying major life decisions under Trump’s presidency?
As Donald Trump approaches six months in office as president, his administration’s agenda has shaken every corner of US life.According to research from Harris Poll, Americans are reconsidering major life events including marriage, having children and buying a home amid economic anxiety under the Trump administration.Six in 10 Americans said the economy had affected at least one of their major life goals, citing either lack of affordability or anxiety around the current economy.We want to hear from you. Have you been delaying major life decisions amid economic and political anxieties? When did things begin to feel destabilized? What effect in particular has delaying life decisions had on your household?You can tell us if you are delaying any major life decisions and your reasons why by filling in the form below
Thames Water refuses to claw back bonuses paid using £3bn emergency loan
Thames Water paid almost £2.5m to senior managers from an emergency loan that was meant to be used to keep the failing utilities company afloat – and has refused to claw back the payments, newly released documents reveal.The struggling water supplier paid bonuses totalling £2.46m to 21 managers on 30 April.The managers are due to receive the same amount again in December, and a further £10
Sony WH-1000XM6 review: raising the bar for noise-cancelling headphones
Sony’s latest top-of-the-range Bluetooth headphones seek to reclaim the throne for the best noise cancellers money can buy with changes inside and out.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.The Sony 1000X series has long featured some of the best noise cancelling you can buy and has been locked in a battle with rival Bose for the top spot
Futurist Adam Dorr on how robots will take our jobs: ‘We don’t have long to get ready – it’s going to be tumultuous’
If Adam Dorr is correct, robots and artificial intelligence will dominate the global economy within a generation and put virtually the entire human race out of a job. The social scientist doubles up as a futurist and has a stark vision of the scale, speed and unstoppability of a technological transformation that he says will replace virtually all human labour within 20 years.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more
Djokovic survives Cobolli onslaught to reach record 14th Wimbledon semi-final
The siren call of a record 25th grand slam title grows ever louder for Novak Djokovic. But he was given a scare by the punchy young Italian Flavio Cobolli, as well as a nasty fall on match point, before coming through a pulsating quarter-final to win 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4.Djokovic’s reward is a record 14th Wimbledon semi-final, one ahead of Roger Federer, and a meeting with the world No 1, Jannik Sinner, on Friday. It is a battle he is clearly relishing.“It motivates me to see how much I can still keep going with these guys toe to toe,” he said
Wimbledon 2025 quarter-finals: Djokovic defeats Cobolli to set up Sinner clash – as it happened
Before that we’ve got a tremendous Thursday in store, with Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek bidding to set up a first grand slam final against each other – what a prospect that is – as they face the underdogs Amanda Anisimova and Belinda Bencic respectively. Do join Daniel for coverage of those matches, and I’ll be back on Friday. Thanks for your company, as always. Bye!The men’s semi-finals are set. And Friday can’t come soon enough:Jannik Sinner v Novak Djokovic Carlos Alcaraz v Taylor FritzDjokovic’s numbers are ridiculous
The Guide #198: Finally, Superman meets his match
‘The army were on the streets – and we were bored’: Stiff Little Fingers on making Alternative Ulster
From Jurassic World Rebirth to Kae Tempest: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead
Steve Coogan accuses Labour of paving way for Reform UK
My cultural awakening: a Marina Abramović show helped me to stop hating my abusive father
Rodney Wilson obituary