Inquest begins into death of man who died on train tracks after finding mum and grandmother murdered
Liam Scott Parker, of Charnock Crescent, Charnock, Sheffield, was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics on April 20, 2016, after he was hit by a train. He was 22.
His death came nearly two months after he was the one to discover the bodies of his murdered mum and grandmother.
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Hide AdMum Julie Hill, 51, and grandmother Rose Hill, 75, were brutally killed by Julie’s nephew, Christopher Whelan, 21, on February 26 that year.
Whelan – Liam’s cousin – was jailed for life with a 15 year minimum term after pleading guilty to two counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to his mental health.
Liam had been trying to contact his mum Julie on February 26 before visiting her home on Station Road, Shirebrook, where he found both women dead.
Julie had been drowned in a bathtub, while Rose had been strangled. They were both brutally beaten before they died.
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Hide AdAt Chesterfield Coroner’s Court on Monday (February 7), a seven-day inquest was opened to determine the facts of Liam’s death, 54 days after the killings.
A jury will hear evidence over the 22-year-old’s state of mind after his traumatic experience, how he accessed the tracks and to determine if his death was a suicide.
The jury heard a note was found in Liam’s clothing when he died.
The court will also hear how Liam was interviewed by police on the night before his death. Evidence will include what risk assessments were done and what conversations were had between agencies while he was held.
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Hide AdAssistant coroner Miss Sabyta Kaushal told the jury today they would first hear about the circumstances of Julie and Rose’s death and the effect it had on Liam’s mental health.
The jury – as well as the families of Liam, Julie and Rose, who were also in the court - were played the distressed 999 call Liam made on February 26 on the day he found their bodies.
During the 15-minute long recording, an inconsolable Liam can be heard struggling to describe what he’d seen.
The jury heard Whelan had left a note for his family before leaving for Julie’s house that read: “I have to do this for me and my God.”
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Hide AdLiam was interviewed after the killings because he had a photo of this note on his phone to show officers, which police erroneously deemed found suspicious.
He was released after Whelan called police from London a number of days later and confessed.
During Whelan’s sentencing, the court heard Whelan admitted in a psychiatric interview he had demanded money from Julie Hill before killing her. He reportedly also blamed the two women for his parents’ divorce.
Psychiatric evidence revealed Whelan thought some of his fantasies about killing came from Satan and his long-term use of cannabis had made things worse.
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Hide AdWhelan had travelled from Sheffield and arrived at Shirebrook on the morning of February 25 with a plan to rob Julie Hill, and Rose Hill had been seen arriving afterwards.
Julie and Rose Hill’s families described both women as “loving mothers” and “dear friends”.