Retired lecturer, 89, died when her son left her alone with her mentally ill grandson who set fire to her £750,000 home after police refused to detain him, inquest told

A retired academic was killed in a fire started by her mentally ill grandson just hours after police refused to detain him, an inquest heard. 

Police were warned by Vera Croghan's son that Chanatorn Croghan, 22, was dangerous and in the midst of a psychotic episode on 11 December, 2020.

Richard Croghan called 999 warning police he thought his son was going to kill him.

But after three police officers visited the property in Norwich and decided they could not arrest him, he then left the house to stay with his partner nearby. 

Retired lecturer Mrs Croghan, 89, was left alone in her £750,000 home with her trouble grandson and found dead in her bedroom.

Norfolk Coroner's Court heard Chanatorn- who called himself Marco- had a history of problems with his mental health and was trying to keep up with his studies.

After the officers left, he said he phoned his partner who advised him to leave his house and return to a flat where she was staying.

He was asked by Norfolk Area coroner Yvonne Blake whether he had considered taking his mother out of the house, but he said he did not believe that she had been at risk.

Mr Croghan said: 'Marco had shown no aggression towards to her, but I thought he was going to punch or stab me.

'I was dumbfounded that when you are in fear of your life, that nobody can do anything about it.

'I was dissatisfied completely that his mental health was being assessed. I was not being taken seriously in my view.' 

Marco had grown up in Thailand, but had moved to the UK at the age of 16 to start sixth form at Wymondham College boarding school in Norfolk after his mother complained about him becoming 'aggressive and unmanageable'. 

The fire was spotted by a walker at 6.30am in the morning as smoke began to come through the windows.

Mrs Croghan, a mother-of-four and grandmother of ten who used to work for University of East Anglia, was found dead of smoke inhalation. 

Her grandson was arrested when he came back to house at 3.30pm the same day.

He was originally charged with murder prosecutors accepted his plea of being guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility and arson.

He he was diagnosed with Hebephrenic Schizophrenia and given an indefinite Hospital Order under the Mental Health Act.

The sentencing judge also ruled doctors cannot grant his release without the authorisation of the Secretary of State.

Recalling what his son was like before the fire, Mr Croghan said: 'He was behaving extremely erratically and nonsensically. Every time he called me, he said he wanted to do a new course. He was getting angry because I was not going to pay each time.

'He appeared blank, expressionless. It was like talking to a cat. He didn't understand or ignored everything. It was at about 10pm or 11pm. I called police just before midnight. 

'The police came in and he was under his duvet. They interviewed him looking at the whites of his eyes. My feelings were that if they had taken him out of his bed they would have seen more symptoms. 

'I did tell the policeman that he could fool a doctor. I was extremely surprised when they said he was stable. My description of Marco didn't match what they said. I was scared for my life.'

Mrs Croghan was a lecturer Swedish and Scandinavian Studies at the UEA from its establishment in 1963 until her retirement over 30 years later, and also authored a best-selling 'Teach Yourself Swedish' book.

The inquest continues.