Samurai killer walks free seven years after attack on Cheltenham MP Nigel Jones
Robert Ashman, 57, was sent to Broadmoor in 2001 for killing councillor Andrew Pennington.
Now he has been released from a secure mental hospital. He is living in a halfway house in Bristol.
Yesterday, Mr Pennington's friends spoke of their concern at Ashman's release.
Former Cheltenham MP Nigel Jones said: “The probation service now has the duty of informing victims when there is a change of circumstances.
“Twice I was told my assailant was being moved. Once to a city where one of my daughters was attending university. Then came the day when I was told there was to be a hearing on conditional release.
“Today this man is walking the streets. Forgiveness, I'm still some way from that.
“Good memories – I try to remember Andrew Pennington at his best – helping people all over the town. And I remember the fantastic care given over many years by doctors, nurses and technical staff in our wonderful NHS.
“Bad memories – I still have some but they're further away than they were even last year thanks to the love and understanding of my wife and family.”
Ashman attacked Mr Pennington and Mr Jones on January 28, 2000 at the Liberal Democrat headquarters in St George's Street, Cheltenham.
He used a 3ft sword. When Mr Jones escaped he turned on Mr Pennington, 39. He fatally speared him through the body six times.
Ashman was arrested walking down Cheltenham High Street with the sword still in his hand.
After the first trial in 2001, a jury at Bristol Crown Court found him unfit to stand trial, although in the trial of fact they found him guilty of committing the acts.
Ashman was then detained in Broadmoor Hospital. In a second trial in 2003, Ashman pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Andrew Pennington, a Liberal Democrat county councillor and Nigel Jones' agent.
He was also found guilty of attempted murder, but wasn't sentenced to prison.
The judge at the trial, Mrs Justice Hallett, said she had “grave reservations” about putting a restriction order on Ashman which meant he was sent to a medium-secure hospital for an indefinite time, and could only be released if experts sanctioned it.
She admitted she would have preferred to impose a life sentence but her hands were tied because Ashman was deemed to be severely mentally ill.
Now he is living in Bristol. He is supervised by police and under a curfew but he is free to come and go during the day. He isn't allowed to return to Cheltenham.
Cheltenham borough councillor Andrew McKinlay, (LD, St Paul's) who was a friend of Mr Pennington, said: “Obviously I can't comment on Ashman's mental condition.
“He has been incarcerated for eight years, people have to make their own judgment whether it's a suitable length of time for someone's life. I don't.
“Andrew Pennington was very well known to a lot of people for his own work on the county council and his work with Nigel Jones.
“I imagine not a lot of people will be very happy that he has been released.”
David Fidgeon worked for Mr Jones at the time of the attack, and is now Martin Horwood's office manager.
He said: “It's important to realise that Ashman was not imprisoned for his crime but was detained securely because of his mental condition.
“We have spoken to the police about this matter and we were told he was being released about three or four months ago.
“I can make no judgment about Mr Ashman's mental state, but there is a long process you have to go through to make that assessment, and who are we, who have no access to him to make a judgment. I have to be satisfied with the decision.”
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Justice said: “We don't comment on individuals. Restricted patients may be conditionally discharged from hospital by either the Independent Mental Health Review Tribunal or the Secretary of State for Justice.
“Conditional Discharge patients are normally required to live at an approved address, to see their supervising psychiatrist and social worker regularly and to comply with medication.
“The Ministry of Justice receives regular reports on conditionally discharged patients from their psychiatric and social supervisors. Patients will be recalled to hospital if they cannot be managed safely in the community.”
