Double killer sentenced after using three knives in ‘frenzied attack’

David Taylor, 37, was today sentenced at Bradford Crown Court after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of John and Beverley Taylor due to diminished responsibility.

Taylor, a paranoid schizophrenic, was brought to court from Rampton Secure Hospital where he is detained by the Secretary of State under the Mental Health Act.

Jonathan Sandiford KC, for the Crown, said Mr and Mrs Taylor, both 66, were killed at their home in Regent Crescent, Skipton, on December 21, 2021.

Mr Sandiford said Taylor lived at the address with his parents. Just before 7am, a neighbour heard a woman screaming: ‘Don’t come near me’ or ‘Stay away from me.’ Taylor made a 999 call to the police saying he had stabbed his parents to death. He was repeatedly swearing about what he had done, appreciating the enormity of his actions and being fully aware of them, Mr Sandiford maintained.

Police at the scene in Skipton after the incident (Image: T&A)

Taylor said he was alone at home with his parents and had ‘both knives in his bedroom’ and had found another ‘big chopping knife.’ Mr Sandiford said the police were there at 7.46am. Taylor was waiting for them on the front doorstep. He was compliant, handcuffed and arrested saying he had stabbed both his parents.

His mother was in the living room and his father was wedged by the front door. Both were declared dead at the scene.

Mrs Taylor had 95 sharp force injuries, including 48 stab wounds. She had suffered significant and quickly fatal blood loss. She had defensive injuries to her right hand and upper arms.

Mr Taylor had sustained 188 uses of a knife to his body, with 34 stab wounds into an area of his back. He had no defensive wounds.

Mr Sandiford said he was probably taken by surprise.

His wife must have been aware of the attack and sustained defensive injuries when she tried to ward her son off.

John and Beverley Taylor (Image: T&A)

Judge Jonathan Rose said Taylor’s actions had caused immeasurable pain to the family. He had suffered from serious psychiatric conditions for many years and in 2021 he had been abusive to his mother and attacked her and hospital staff.

It was ‘a persistent and brutal attack’ on his parents. Taylor stabbed his father up to 188 times, some wounds inflicted after he was dead. His mother was knifed 95 times.

Taylor used three knives to carry out the ‘sustained and frenzied attack.’ Judge Rose said ‘the clear and proper decision’ of the police was that he could not be interviewed or make any admissions at the time. A proper investigation into his mental health led to the guilty pleas to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Taylor had delayed having an interview with his probation officer and then left after about ten minutes but a report had been prepared along with three psychiatric reports.

He had developed an addiction to fruit machine in his mid-teens and was then diagnosed with schizophrenia. He had complained of hearing voices urging him to kill others and himself. They were telling him to murder people to protect his family.

In 2021, he was deteriorating and failing to attend appointments. He had got prescribed medication at his home that he had not taken.

He had been transferred from prison to Rampton Hospital where he continued to complain that he was hearing voices instructing him to kill others and himself.

Judge Rose said Taylor was irritable and aggressive and appeared to be indifferent to his actions at the time of the killings. All the professionals who had interviewed him agreed that he was extremely dangerous.

A Hybrid Order would allow better long-term management of the risk he posed.

Taylor will be detained in Rampton Hospital but the order under Section 45A of the Mental Health Act means that if and when he has completed his period of treatment he will be automatically sent to prison instead of being discharged into the community.

Judge Rose set the minimum custodial term at eight years but, as a dangerous offender, Taylor would be released only if and when and if The Parole Board deemed it safe to do so.

Family members and friends spoke of the loving relationship between Taylor and his parents. It had never crossed anyone’s mind that he would kill them, the court was told.

A statement read out on behalf of the Taylor family, spoke of how amazing their parents were and the terrible pain felt at their loss. The family had suffered months of trauma, disbelief and absolute sadness.

The brother they loved was responsible for the tragedy and they had struggled with the hurt and conflict of emotion.

They had learned that when their brother was scared and in turmoil he didn’t get the help he so desperately needed, they said.

The family wanted to remember their parents not for how they died but for how they lived their lives.

Taylor’s barrister, John Jones KC, said he had made ‘sporadic and inconsistent progress’ in Rampton and he was likely to be detained there for a very long time.

Speaking after the hearing, Senior Investigating Officer DI Steve Menzies, of North Yorkshire Police’s Major Crime Team, said: “This has been a very sad investigation, and unlike with many court cases, there are no winners following today’s result.

“At the time of their deaths, John and Beverley Taylor were both 66 years old, and they clearly loved and cared for their son David. He was living with them in their home on Regent Crescent in Skipton when the incident occurred just before Christmas last year. Early in the morning of 21 December 2021, both Beverley and John suffered multiple stab wounds and died at their home. David called the emergency services and he was arrested at the scene.

“David is known to have suffered from significant and fluctuating mental health issues, which his family believe started following him taking illicit drugs at a rave party a number of years ago.

“Clearly this has been a very distressing time for the family and friends of John, Beverley and David, and they have been left devastated. Beverley was the focal point of the family, and plans were in place for them all to spend Christmas together. I praise the whole family for the way that they have supported each other, and how they have supported my team during the course of the investigation.

“There will now follow an independent Mental Health Homicide Review, led by NHS England, so it would not be appropriate to make any further comment relating to the circumstances of the investigation.” In a statement, the family of John and Beverley Taylor (née Bernard) said: “We are a large, close family and the events of 21 December 2021 have left us all in shock and grief that is unimaginable.

“The void in all our lives is huge and we are all trying in our own way to deal with this tragedy.

“We would like to thank all our extended family and friends and the community of Skipton for all their kindness and support. We very much appreciate you all.”