Mental health groups have ‘failed to acknowledge’ risk of violence, says Mind chief

Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, who were killed by Valdo Colocane. He was later diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Composite: Nottinghamshire Police

Mental health organisations have “failed to acknowledge” the risk of violence from a minority of people with severe mental illnesses, the chief executive of Mind has said ahead of the closure of the inquiry into the Nottingham attacks.

Dr Sarah Hughes, who has led mental health charity Mind for four years and has worked in the sector for almost four decades, said charities had shied away from addressing the risk of violence due to the fact it had increased the stigma and harassment around people with mental health conditions.