Sheila Caffell's illness

[Brietta]

I don't think Sheila Caffell's mental illness had the slightest bearing on her murder, the murder of her mother and father and those of her two innocent children.
It surprises me that in this day and age many of the attitudes which led to the stigmatisation of mental illness in the past still seem to be prevalent.

Sheila and her family are the victims here and nothing they did in life excuses the the premeditated manner of the vicious deaths visited on them.

[Caroline]

I don't think Sheila Caffell's mental illness had the slightest bearing on her murder, the murder of her mother and father and those of her two innocent children.
It surprises me that in this day and age many of the attitudes which led to the stigmatisation of mental illness in the past still seem to be prevalent.

Sheila and her family are the victims here and nothing they did in life excuses the the premeditated manner of the vicious deaths visited on them.

100% agree! It;s an excuse and it;s the ONLY thing that supporters of Bamber have to hang onto. The fact that she was medicated is just conveniently pushed to one side and ignored.

[Common sense]

100% agree! It;s an excuse and it;s the ONLY thing that supporters of Bamber have to hang onto. The fact that she was medicated is just conveniently pushed to one side and ignored.

Most of them don't just hang on to it, they take it as actual proof she committed the crime.

It then becomes all too easy to believe that Nevill called the police, that Sheila was seen in the window, she was opening and closing curtains, turning lights on and off, talking to the raid team and making them sandwiches, calling an ambulance, was alive in the kitchen, was shot by the police, was having a crafty fag with Taff Jones,  was killed by hitmen sent by Maggie Thatcher who had a grudge against Nevill etc.. 

I'm not convinced that Sheila's delusions were as far fetched as some JB supporters

[Caroline]

Most of them don't just hang on to it, they take it as actual proof she committed the crime.

It then becomes all too easy to believe that Nevill called the police, that Sheila was seen in the window, she was opening and closing curtains, turning lights on and off, talking to the raid team and making them sandwiches, calling an ambulance, was alive in the kitchen, was shot by the police, was having a crafty fag with Taff Jones,  was killed by hitmen sent by Maggie Thatcher who had a grudge against Nevill etc.. 

I'm not convinced that Sheila's delusions were as far fetched as some JB supporters

You forgot about the MANY suicide letters she penned that night, the shower she took and the howling like a dog episode. 

[G-Unit]

When Sheila was readmitted to St Andrews on 3rd March 1985 at her father's request she was again psychotic. Her behaviour, according to Dr Ferguson, was more disconnected than before. She told him she had been using cocaine 'fairly frequently this year'. Dr Ferguson said using illegal drugs would have exacerbated her condition.

In order to make sure Sheila was medicated Dr Ferguson prescribed injections of Haldol following her discharge on 29th March. He wasn't happy with her leaving the hospital but I assume he was reluctant to commit her.

[Vertigo Swirl]

When Sheila was readmitted to St Andrews on 3rd March 1985 at her father's request she was again psychotic. Her behaviour, according to Dr Ferguson, was more disconnected than before. She told him she had been using cocaine 'fairly frequently this year'. Dr Ferguson said using illegal drugs would have exacerbated her condition.

In order to make sure Sheila was medicated Dr Ferguson prescribed injections of Haldol following her discharge on 29th March. He wasn't happy with her leaving the hospital but I assume he was reluctant to commit her.

Did he say she posed a threat to others?

[mrswah]

Most of them don't just hang on to it, they take it as actual proof she committed the crime.

It then becomes all too easy to believe that Nevill called the police, that Sheila was seen in the window, she was opening and closing curtains, turning lights on and off, talking to the raid team and making them sandwiches, calling an ambulance, was alive in the kitchen, was shot by the police, was having a crafty fag with Taff Jones,  was killed by hitmen sent by Maggie Thatcher who had a grudge against Nevill etc.. 

I'm not convinced that Sheila's delusions were as far fetched as some JB supporters

Sheila's illness is certainly not proof that she committed the crime, but it gives a possible motive as to why she could have done-----IMO.  In the same way, Jeremy's greed gives him a motive.

[G-Unit]

Did he say she posed a threat to others?

He said she was capable of responding with physical aggression directed to property, to herself or to others. [w/s 30/9/86 page 3]

The last time Dr Ferguson saw Sheila Caffell was the day she was discharged from St Andrews; 29th March 1985. Up until her death in August she had no mental health support at all; just her injections of Haldol from her GP.

Dr Ferguson wasn't happy discharging her, he thought it was too soon and he felt she needed follow up visits from a Community Psychiatric Nurse.

[Common sense]

Sheila's illness is certainly not proof that she committed the crime, but it gives a possible motive as to why she could have done-----IMO.  In the same way, Jeremy's greed gives him a motive.

That's putting the cart before the horse.

Motive is the least important aspect as far as the law is concerned, it's not evidence in itself and doesn't have to be established or put forward by the crown in a murder trial, it merely helps the jury understand why a crime might have been committed.

There is not a shred of evidence that points to Sheila. Not a bit.

[APRIL]

He said she was capable of responding with physical aggression directed to property, to herself or to others. [w/s 30/9/86 page 3]

The last time Dr Ferguson saw Sheila Caffell was the day she was discharged from St Andrews; 29th March 1985. Up until her death in August she had no mental health support at all; just her injections of Haldol from her GP.

Dr Ferguson wasn't happy discharging her, he thought it was too soon and he felt she needed follow up visits from a Community Psychiatric Nurse.

You've omitted the circumstances he gave as being conditions for her possibly reacting with violence, which was, I imagine, his assessment of her on admission. HAD what you imply, ie becoming psychotic at any given moment, been the case, there'd have been no question of her release until she'd been adequately medicated.

[G-Unit]

You've omitted the circumstances he gave as being conditions for her possibly reacting with violence, which was, I imagine, his assessment of her on admission. HAD what you imply, ie becoming psychotic at any given moment, been the case, there'd have been no question of her release until she'd been adequately medicated.

Feeling threatened, I think.

As to her medication she was given injections of 200mg of Haldol until July, when her dose was halved even though this wasn't on the advice or with the agreement of Dr Ferguson; he hadn't seen her since March.

[Caroline]

Feeling threatened, I think.

As to her medication she was given injections of 200mg of Haldol until July, when her dose was halved even though this wasn't on the advice or with the agreement of Dr Ferguson; he hadn't seen her since March.

Wondered how long its would take you to post this old chestnut! The toxicology report showed there was still a moderate dose in her system when she died. Fine a case where a medicated individual had a psychotic episode and murdered people. I gave the challenge to Holly and she couldn't find one - just check and you will see how rare it is!

[ISpyWithMyEye]

Sheila's illness is certainly not proof that she committed the crime, but it gives a possible motive as to why she could have done-----IMO.  In the same way, Jeremy's greed gives him a motive.

Sheila had no motive to kill anyone, Gunit.

The only person with a STRONG motive, and who proved it, was Jeremy Bamber — who was found guilty 35 years ago.

[Caroline]

Sheila's illness is certainly not proof that she committed the crime, but it gives a possible motive as to why she could have done-----IMO.  In the same way, Jeremy's greed gives him a motive.

Sheila was medicated, there is no quick fix for greed.

[ISpyWithMyEye]

Sheila was medicated, there is no quick fix for greed.

Yes Caroline, Sheila was medicated to the point where she could barely pour a cup of coffee without spilling it, as you know

She was also sensitive about her appearance, but just days prior going to WHF her friends said she had difficulty applying her make-up properly. They said it was all a mess, smudged everywhere — and on the day Jeremy murdered them the shopkeeper where Sheila and June took the boys to buy jeans said Sheila had smudged red lipstick all over her teeth: which alone proves how unsteady her hand movements were that day, and how unaware she was.

Besides that, Sheila was never greedy. She never pestered her parents for handouts, and took jobs that were well below her capabilities had she been well; she never begged/demanded financial help from her parents. She tried to work (for a minimum amount) rather than sponge off them because she had pride, decency, and was not a sponger. Nor was she lazy...

She was the polar opposite to the lazy, begrudging, demanding Jeremy who resented working and decided to become BOSS of WHF by murdering them all.

And a minority of people say he isn’t a psychopath?!