Melissa Mathieson was just 18 years old when she died at the hands of Guernseyman, and fellow care home resident, Jason Conroy.
They were both living at Alexandra House, in Bristol, when Conroy strangled her and planned to sexually abuse her body. That happened over a decade ago – on 12 October 2014 – and her family have long since been seeking closure.
Some came at the end of last week, when an inquest into exactly how Melissa came by her death and what could have been done better to protect her reached its conclusion – with a coroner finding that the States of Guernsey was one of the authorities at fault.
Speaking following the inquest, Joseph Morgan and Sam Jacobs, the solicitors representing the Mathieson family, directed blame towards the States of Guernsey for their “woeful handling of Jason Conroy’s transition to [UK-based] Alexandra Homes”.
They explicitly stated that Guernsey’s role in Melissa’s death was due to their failure to act when concerns were raised, and for allowing Conroy to be placed at the UK home without the necessary security measures.
This was despite knowing he posed significant risks, particularly towards “petite young women”, as one psychologist observed.
“The coroner’s findings are utterly damning. They reflect the gravity of the failures of the management of Alexandra Homes, who were ultimately responsible for the welfare of their residents,” Mr Morgan said. “In essence, they welcomed a known sexual predator into their care home with no risk management plan, at the same time as admitting a young woman who matched his known victim profile.”
He continued: “Even with these failures, the Coroner’s conclusion rightfully acknowledges the role Guernsey played in Melissa’s death through their woeful handling of Jason Conroy’s transition to Alexandra Homes. It is desperately tragic that a young woman was deprived of her life as a result of these catastrophic, multi-agency failures.”
The solicitors went on to highlight that Guernsey paid a significantly lower amount for Conroy’s placement at Alexandra House compared to the cost of the appropriate supervision he required.
Express has approached the States of Guernsey for comment and is awaiting a response.
Coroner Maria Voisin found there was “a catalogue of failures resulting in his placement with no effective risk assessment in place resulted in the death of Melissa”, the Guardian reported.
“Melissa died as a result of unlawful killing caused by both the act of strangulation and also due to the acts and omissions by the home entrusted with her care,” the coroner added.
Now the inquest has concluded, the Coroner will issue a Regulation 28 Report to Prevent Future Deaths, outlining concerns and recommendations for Alexandra Homes Ltd, who must formally respond, detailing actions taken to address the identified failings.
The Coroner’s finding regarding corporate manslaughter elements could potentially prompt further prosecution review for Alexandra Homes.