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A man randomly walked into a stranger’s home before beating her to death and decapitating her, a court heard
Luke Deeley, 26, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of June Fox-Roberts, 65, who was found dead at her home on November 21, 2021.
Police officers say they checked the property following calls by a concerned family member.
Deeley was charged with murder, however his not guilty plea was accepted by the British Crown at an earlier hearing. Instead, he admitted to an alternative count of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, Wales Online reports.
Lawyer, John Hipkin KC said Deeley had been sectioned under Section 45 of the Mental Health Act and was remanded in a psychiatric hospital. He said three psychiatric reports were prepared and were of the same opinion – that Deeley was suffering an “abnormality of mind” named paranoid Schizophrenia.
It was also agreed that Deeley’s ability to understand the nature of his actions and form rational judgement was “substantially impaired” due to his condition. During the sentence hearing on Friday, April 28, Barrister Hipkin said the victim had lived in her home in Llantwit Fardre, Wales, for 40 years and worked as an IT trainer.
“Despite having several medical problems she was known to those who knew her as a caring, motherly figure and strongly independent,” said Mr Hipkin. He added: “There is no evidence to suggest she knew the defendant.”
Deeley was admitted to a psychiatric hospital in March 2019 “for just under a month for an acute psychotic episode”. Mr Hipkin said:
“Following that he was prescribed with anti-psychotic medication. In July 2021 his parents contacted community mental health team with concerns about his presentation, in particular his lack of sleep and constant pacing
“As a result a home visit to the defendant took place with a consultant psychiatrist and social worker. He told the psychiatrist he weaned himself off medication. As a result, the psychiatrist gave him an emergency supply of anti-psychotic medication.”
In September 2021, Deeley attended university in Cardiff and moved into a shared house in Roath with other students who found his behaviour “challenging”. Mr Hipkin said:
“Examples included the retention by him of other residents’ room keys, playing excessively loud music, and causing damage to the fire alarm system.”
However, on November 11, 2021, there was an incident where he threw water over a female house resident while calling her a “b****” and a “c***”. A complaint was lodged by other students to the house agent, resulting in the defendant leaving the property without taking any of his personal belongings.
“When a subsequent search of that room by police took place a quantity of artwork drawn by the defendant, demonic in nature, were recovered,” the prosecutor added. After moving out, CCTV caught Deeley on numerous occasions wandering about.
On November 18, he was seen near the university campus and was seen trying various doors at the student union building.
On November 19 and 20 he was seen in Church Village and Llantwit Fardre.
On November 19, the court heard, Mrs Fox-Roberts dropped both of her daughters at Pontyclun railway station as they were going away for the weekend and she would be alone in the house. At around 1.45am on November 21 Deeley was seen on CCTV entering the home of Mrs Fox-Roberts.
Mr Hipkin said: “The defendant entered number 49 through an unlocked door. It’s likely Mrs Fox-Roberts was disturbed and went downstairs. It was here the violence began. She was assaulted whilst upright in the hallway and further assaulted whilst on the floor.
The pathologist, Dr RIchard Jones noted in his post mortem report noted blunt force injuries to the head of June Fox-Roberts that appeared to be sustained in life.
“These injuries include one blow to the forehead that must have rendered her unconscious. There were compression-type injuries to her trunk indicative of stamping, fractures to her left forearm sustained in life which represented defensive-type injuries.
“From the hallway of the premises the defendant dragged June Fox-Roberts into the dining room area of the property and placed her in a tarpaulin. He proceeded to decapitate and dismember her and placed her limbs into separated bags using an axe recovered at the scene to achieve this.” Deeley also brought a chainsaw into the property but did not use it while dismembering Mrs Fox-Roberts.
CCTV footage was played to the court of Deeley talking and singing to himself while wrapped in a blanket. He spent the night sleeping in a trailer. He was arrested on November 23 and a video of his arrest was played to the court.
Luke Deeley also reportedly wore a wolf outfit after seeing a full moon.
Police also discovered attempts had been made to clean the scene in the hallway. There was also evidence Deeley shaved at the property and dyed his hair before leaving. The court heard he was of previous good character.
The judge, Justice Griffiths, sentencing at Newport Crown Court, made Deeley subject to a hospital order under section 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983 meaning he will be detained at a high-security hospital. He was also made subject to special restrictions set out in section 41 of the act without limit of time. In his sentencing remarks Mr Justice Griffiths said:
“There is a high risk you will commit further serious offences if you are not detained. Detention is necessary to protect the public from serious harm. It’s not possible to say how long
that will be so.”
Mr Justice Griffiths in his sentencing remarks told the court: “The impact of [Mrs Fox-Roberts’] death and the manner of her dying, on her family and friends, has been set out in statements to the court.”
“You thought a higher power was telling you to kill someone. You found June Fox-Roberts’ door unlocked and went inside.
“As she was walking up in front of you you violently attacked her and while defending herself she sustained fractures to her left forearm. You inflicted blunt force injuries to her head. One of those knocked her out. When she was on the floor you appeared to trample on her and dragged her body into the dining room, put her on tarpaulin, and then cut her head off and limbs with an axe you brought in from the garden, put them into bags and [they were] later found in the house.”
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