Care home where girl, 18, was murdered by resident is fined £125,000

A care home has been fined following the murder of a teenage girl at one of its properties.

Melissa Mathieson, 18, was strangled by Jason Conroy at Alexandra House, which provides residential care for adults with autism spectrum disorder, in Bristol, in October 2014.

In 2015, Conroy, then aged 19, was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum term of 19 years at Bristol Crown Court for the sexually motivated killing.

In September last year, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced it had charged care home owner Alexandra Homes following Miss Mathieson’s death.

According to an investigation conducted by HSE, Alexandra House lacked adequately trained and qualified staff in sufficient numbers to deal with Conroy effectively.

Additionally, staff members were not well-informed about the risks he posed.

The report also revealed inadequate monitoring measures and insufficient control methods to guarantee the safety of the residents, especially at night.

At Bristol Crown Court on Friday, Alexandra Homes pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) Health and Safety At Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

They were fined £125,000 and ordered to pay £41,000.

Miss Mathieson’s father James Mathieson said: “Melissa was a lovely daughter, she was friendly, loved her cuddles, energetic and fun to be with.

“Everybody loved her and many hearts were broken when she was allowed to be murdered in her sleep.

“When Melissa found a place at Alexandra House, we made it clear to representatives at Alexandra Homes just how vulnerable she was.

“We were putting her safety into their care and to me they disregarded this.

“They told us they would look after her, she would be safe and they would help her live a full life.

“That was not true, as they failed on all accounts, and we lost a beautiful daughter, siste, and granddaughter.

“Although Jason Conroy murdered our daughter, I feel he was another failure of Alexandra Homes as he was in the wrong place with the wrong supervision.”

'Given clear warnings'

Miss Mathieson and Conroy were new residents at Alexandra House, which is one of three homes run by Alexandra Homes Limited, having both moved there in August 2014.

Before moving there, Conroy, who has Asperger's syndrome, had strangled a member of staff at his school rendering her unconscious, which highlighted the need for close monitoring, the HSE said.

It added information was passed from his school to Alexandra House warning of his behaviour, which included a risk assessment that said he posed a risk to others and had demonstrated sexual aggression towards women, staff and young peers.

The HSE said a report also said that he could be violent to others.

Conroy was previously diagnosed as having "deviant sexual interests", including fantasies about strangulation and rape.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Caroline Coleman said: “This has been a complex and sensitive investigation. It has taken time, but we now have the right outcome.

“Alexandra Homes was given clear warning signs about Jason Conroy’s behaviour but simply didn’t act upon them.

"As a result, Melissa Mathieson, a vulnerable young woman lost her life in a setting that was meant to protect and help her.

“While the Care Quality Commission is now the regulator for patient health and safety matters, the legislation is there to help keep people safe and must be followed. Our thoughts remain with Melissa’s family and friends.”

This HSE prosecution was led by HSE lawyer Krystal Savoie.