Ashworth Hospital: Britain's Most Dangerous Minds | UK Crime

Added: 2026-05-09

[00:00:00]One of the patients inside this hospital carried out a series of attacks across an entire city, leaving multiple people dead in just a few hours. Another killed without warning, targeting complete strangers. And another committed crimes so disturbing there's still no clear explanation. This is Ashworth Hospital.

[00:00:23]Located in Merseyside, it's one of three of the most secure psychiatric hospitals in the UK. A place where some of the country's most dangerous individuals are sent, not just to be locked away, but to be treated. Let's take a look at some of the most dangerous and complex individuals to have been held here.

[00:00:44]In the space of just a few hours, this first inmate killed three people and left three others fighting for their lives. He had even been warned that he would end up killing someone. This is the case of Valdo Calocane.

[00:01:01]In the early hours of the 13th of June, 2023, a series of brutal and unpredictable attacks unfolded across Nottingham. At around 4:00 a.m., 19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar were walking home after a night out. They were nearly back at their accommodation when Valdo emerged from hiding in an alleyway. He went straight for Barnaby, launching what the judge later described as a frenzied and relentless attack with a knife. In an incredible act of bravery, Grace tried to step in, pushing him away and trying to protect her friend. But Valdo then turned on her, attacking her in the same brutal way before going back to Barnaby. Both Barnaby and Grace were taken hospital, but their injuries were unsurvivable. They were tragically pronounced dead shortly after. Barnaby had suffered 10 injuries and Grace 23 injuries. About an hour later, he tried to force his way into a homeless hostel in what the judge believed was an attempt to find more victims, but a resident managed to fight him off. Then, not long after, he came across 65-year-old grandfather and school caretaker Ian Coates. Valdo attacked him with the same level of violence before stealing his van. Ian was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering 15 stab wounds. Ian was only weeks away from retirement. And from there, it didn't stop. He got behind the wheel of Ian's van and started driving through the city, actively looking for more people to target. His next victim, 59-year-old Wayne Burkett, was simply crossing the road when Valdo deliberately swerved and hit him from behind at speed. Wayne survived, but with devastating, life-changing injuries. He suffered severe brain damage, losing the ability to carry out even simple tasks, and he could no longer recognize his family.

[00:03:06]Just 5 minutes later, Valdo deliberately drove into two more people, 44-year-old Sharon Miller and 40-year-old Marcin Goronski, as they stood on a pedestrian central reservation. They were both incredibly lucky to survive.

[00:03:24]Eventually, police managed to stop him, but when they confronted him, he presented a knife, which he only dropped after being tasered.

[00:03:33]Taser, taser, TASER ME. STAY STAY WHERE YOU STAY WHERE YOU STAY THERE.

[00:03:38]HE HAD A BACKPACK with him, which contained another two knives and a length of scaffold pole. But what came out after his arrest raised even more disturbing questions. There had already been serious warning signs. He had a history of mental illness dating back to 2019 when he began hearing voices that he believed could control him and harm his family. At one point, he forced his way into a neighbor's home convinced that he could hear the crying of his mother being harmed. The resident was understandably terrified and she fell from a first-floor window fracturing her spine. Subsequently, Baldo was admitted for psychiatric help. He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2020 and prescribed antipsychotic medication, but he stopped taking it believing that the voices were real and that he wasn't actually unwell. During a later hospital admission, a doctor even warned him that he would end up killing someone. That warning was 3 years before the attacks.

[00:04:44]By 2022, he had disengaged from mental health services altogether and was discharged from NHS care just months before the killings. He was left to manage his condition and medication on his own. What's even more concerning is that some of the risk assessments were completely wrong. One described him as having no history of violence even calling him a polite and gentle young man. It completely undermined just how dangerous Baldo actually was. It later emerged he had also been watching videos of mass killings and even sent messages referencing Redrum, something that Baldo's psychiatrist thought nothing of and only learned that it meant murder spelled backwards years later.

[00:05:32]In court, Baldo Calicane pleaded guilty to three counts of manslaughter and three counts of attempted murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He was given an indefinite hospital order after being found to have been in a psychotic episode at the time. If it wasn't for his mental condition, Valdo would likely have faced a whole life order. The victim's families strongly criticized this outcome, saying that justice has not been served and that he had got away with murder.

[00:06:07]Police thought they were investigating the disappearance of one woman, but what they uncovered would turn into something far more disturbing. This is the case of Mark Corner.

[00:06:21]On the 14th of July, 2003, police received a missing person report for 26-year-old Pauline Steven from Skelmersdale in Lancashire. She was a mom to an 8-year-old boy. So, when she didn't return home after going out 2 days earlier, it immediately raised concern. Pauline had been working as a sex worker, and the last time she was seen was the evening of the 12th of July. Then, on the 18th of July, Pauline's abandoned white Ford Escort was found in Everton in Liverpool. Just 2 days later, the case took a horrific turn. Bags containing dismembered body parts were discovered under a pile of rubbish in a nearby alleyway. The following day, Ian Corner walked into a police station and told officers his brother, 26-year-old Mark Corner, was responsible. When police arrived at Mark's home, he came to the door holding a knife, but was eventually calmed down and taken into custody. Inside the property, officers found blood in the bathroom along with tools believed to have been used in the dismemberment, but it didn't stop there. More body parts were discovered in his freezer and in Stanley Park nearby. At that point, investigators believed all of the remains belonged to Pauline, but then came another horrific discovery. There wasn't just one victim, there were two.

[00:07:52]The second was 19-year-old Hanan Parry.

[00:07:55]She had gone missing just one day before Pauline on the 11th of July. Hanan had left home at just 15 years old after experiencing racial abuse from locals linked to her Libyan background. She moved between hostels across North Wales where she began using substances before eventually ending up in Liverpool where she turned to sex work to fund her addiction. Her roommate had later said that Hanan would often return home covered in bruises after being attacked and had even said that she believed she would one day be killed, but tragically, she couldn't escape the life she was in.

[00:08:37]Mark Corner had picked her up as a client, taken her back to his flat, and after sex, strangled her to death. Then just a day later, he repeated the exact same thing with Pauline. Mark later claimed that he believed he was on a divine mission to kill sex workers. But what makes this case even more disturbing is what was known about Mark before these murders happened. He had a long history of mental health issues dating back to when he was just 12 years old. At 18, he was already expressing disturbing thoughts, even saying he would do anything to go to prison even if it meant killing someone. He was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia in September 2002 just months before the murders. That same year, he had been sectioned after trying to stab a female neighbor.

[00:09:33]Doctors warned he could become dangerous if he stopped taking his medication or continued using substances. His dad even pleaded with professionals to have him readmitted, but despite these concerns, he was still discharged. In the months leading up to the murders, he became increasingly paranoid, hearing voices while regularly using substances. Mark Corner pleaded guilty to manslaughter, denying murder on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He was found to have been suffering from schizophrenia at the time and was detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act.

[00:10:16]This next inmate approached his victims like it was a normal conversation, but within seconds, everything changed. This is the case of Muhammad Abdi.

[00:10:28]On the 27th of February 2023, 82-year-old Hashi Adowa had just left a mosque in London when he was followed by Muhammad Abdi. Muhammad approached him and started a conversation, insisting that Hashi knew who he was. But when Hashi said he didn't recognize him, everything changed. Muhammad suddenly poured petrol over him and said, "In the name of Allah, you will know me." before setting him on fire. Hashi was instantly engulfed in flames while Muhammad calmly walked away. Thankfully, people nearby rushed to help, managing to remove his burning clothing and prevent even more severe injuries. Hashi survived, but suffered burns to his ear, neck, and hand, and the psychological impact has been lasting. He's since spoken about feeling embarrassed by his scars and no longer feeling safe.

[00:11:24]Then just 4 weeks later, it happened again. On the 20th of March 2023, 70-year-old Muhammad Riyaz, who I'll will refer to as Riyaz to avoid confusion, had just left a mosque in Birmingham and was walking home.

[00:11:39]Mohammed approached him and asked if he spoke Arabic.

[00:11:44]When Riyaz said no, Mohammed demanded to know why before once again pouring petrol over him and setting him alight.

[00:11:52]Both attacks were caught on CCTV, but this time it showed Mohammed throwing more petrol onto the flames before again calmly walking away. Again, members of the public stepped in and saved Riyaz's life, but the damage was severe. He suffered burns to his head and face, and his grandchildren didn't even recognize him afterwards, especially after his beard had been burned away. He was later diagnosed with depression and early stages of PTSD. Following the second attack, a major investigation was launched. Mohammed was identified through CCTV and arrested. His home was searched, where police found a water bottle containing petrol, and there was a lighter inside a rucksack. At the time of the attacks, it's alleged Mohammed was suffering from severely disordered thoughts. He believed that people around him were possessed by evil spirits and were trying to control him. He believed that they could read his thoughts and even vanish and reappear at will. He believed both Hashi and Riyaz were trying to take control of him. There was no evidence that he held any extremist views or had consumed any extremist material. He himself was a practicing Muslim and had even attended the same mosques as the victims. Mohammed had no previous convictions and no history of violence and was later diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. The judge said he was clearly suffering from a severe a illness at the time and warned that if he were sent to prison, there would be a significant risk of relapse, potentially putting other inmates and staff in danger. Mohammed admitted to setting the fires, but he denied attempting to kill his victims. Mohammed Abdi was ultimately found guilty of two counts of attempted murder and sentenced to an indefinite hospital order.

[00:13:52]This next inmate carried out a series of brutal attacks that left four people dead, including two police officers that he lured into a trap. This is the case of Dale Cregan.

[00:14:07]In 2012, a violent feud between rival families in Greater Manchester escalated into a series of brutal attacks. On the 25th of May, 2012, Dale arrived at the Cotton Tree Pub in Droylsden, in Manchester. CCTV footage showed a car pulling up outside, which had two other men inside. While a masked gunman went into the pub alone and opened fire.

[00:14:33]23-year-old Mark Short was killed and three others were injured. Another intended target was inside the pub at the time, but he survived simply because he was at the toilet.

[00:14:47]While on bail after being questioned over Mark's murder, Dale carried out a second, even more brutal attack. On the 10th of August, 2012, he waited outside the home of Mark's dad, 46-year-old David Short. When David came outside, reportedly on his way to visit his son's grave, Dale emerged and opened fire. David was chased through his home and back outside, where he was shot at least nine times. And as he lay on the ground, Dale threw a hand grenade close to his body.

[00:15:24]He then went on to target the home of Sharon Hark, throwing a grenade into her property, but incredibly, no one was injured. By this point, Dale had become one of the most wanted fugitives in the country. He went on the run for around a month, but before it was over, he had one final plan. On the 18th of September, 2012, at 10:14 a.m., Dale made a call to emergency services reporting a burglary. Police emergency.

[00:15:55]I have someone just threw a big concrete slab through my back window and ran off.

[00:15:59]What's the address there, please? 30 Abbey Gardens, Mottram.

[00:16:02]Did you see them?

[00:16:04]Seen one, yeah.

[00:16:06]Do you know them?

[00:16:07]No, I don't know.

[00:16:08]Okay. Did Did you know why they've done it?

[00:16:11]I've got a clue.

[00:16:12]Right, I'll get an officer up there, have a look around, see if they can see anybody similar, and then I'll come and see you. All right, Adam.

[00:16:17]How long will it take, do you know, roughly? I know that it's [ __ ] It's not that serious, but >> Well, because it's just happened, it's gone in on the priorities, so that's within the hour, certainly. But Okay.

[00:16:27]they'll try and get up there as soon as if there's a possibility he's still knocking about.

[00:16:31]All right, then. Thanks very much.

[00:16:32]>> Okay. I'll wait there. I'll be waiting.

[00:16:35]But, it was a trap. When two unarmed police officers arrived at the address, 23-year-old PC Nicola Hughes and 32-year-old PC Fiona Bone, they had no idea what was waiting for them.

[00:16:51]As they walked up the path, Dale [snorts] opened the door and opened fire. As they tried to run, one shot struck Nicola in the back, paralyzing her instantly. He then turned his attention to Fiona, firing around 20 shots at her. And when he was finished, he went back to Nicola, shot her in the head, and threw a grenade at her body.

[00:17:15]Later that same day, Dale walked into Hyde Police Station and handed himself in. He told officers, "I've murdered two police officers. You were hounding my family, so I took it out on yours." And in another chilling statement, he later said, "The night I shot David, I had the best sleep of my life." Dale claimed he carried out the killings after threats were made towards his family and told a psychiatrist he killed David Short to get arrested. In court, the judge described his actions as premeditated savagery. Dale Cregan was given a whole life order, meaning he would never be released. But in September 2013, he was transferred from Strangeways Prison to Ashworth Hospital following concerns about his behavior, including a month-long hunger strike. Dale was later moved to Aintree Hospital in December 2025 for a prearranged appointment, though it's unclear if he still remains there.

[00:18:21]By the end of a night in 2021, one woman was killed and an 8-year-old girl was left pretending to be dead just to survive. This is the case of Charles Byrne.

[00:18:36]Charles had met Christina Row on a dating app in December 2019. They went on to live together for around 6 months in her home in Worcester along with her young daughter, who we'll refer to as T.

[00:18:50]She was just 8 or 9 years old at the time. The relationship eventually broke down in 2021, but in the early hours of the 10th of February 2021, Charles returned to Christina's home. An argument broke out, which eventually turned violent. Charles strangled Christina and then stabbed her. He then began placing Christina's body into a suitcase that he had brought with him. T had heard the commotion and came downstairs and what she saw would stay with her for the rest of her life. She walked in on Charles putting her mom's body into a suitcase.

[00:19:31]Charles then turned on T. He grabbed her by the neck and began strangling her while quietly muttering, "Sorry." He later told police that he held her throat for 20 to 30 seconds and when she lost consciousness, he banged her head on the floor multiple times. He said he was just trying to put her to sleep so that she wouldn't see what was happening to her mom. Believing T was dead, Charles then placed her body in the bath but T regained consciousness and incredibly, she stayed completely still pretending to be dead until he left the room. She later said that she could hear him up downstairs. A neighbor would later recall seeing Charles leaving the house with what looked like a heavy case dragging it to his car. Inside was Christina's body.

[00:20:24]He drove home to his parents' house, collected some bricks to weigh down the suitcase and then dumped the suitcase into the River Severn. But he wasn't finished.

[00:20:34]Charles returned to Christina's house with a shovel intending to bury T. But when he went back inside, she had disappeared from the bath. He eventually found her in her bed appearing to be asleep. He later said that when he realized she was still breathing, he assumed that someone had already helped her. He said he stood there and said out loud, "I'd rather go to jail."

[00:20:58]Later that morning, a dog walker alerted police after spotting a trail of blood and drag marks on on bridge. Christina's body was recovered from the river later that day. The postmortem revealed extensive bruising to her neck, consistent with strangulation, and a single stab wound that had pierced her heart and lung. The following morning, T used her mom's phone to call police.

[00:21:24]When officers arrived, she had injuries consistent with strangulation, and Charles was arrested at his home shortly after. He told police he believed Christina was a transgender male pedophile who was harboring a child, and that he had gone there to rescue T. He claimed the suitcase that he brought with him was to take her away to safety, but he admitted that there'd been a struggle and he lost his temper, saying, "Her lips turned blue, and then I just kept holding on.

[00:21:57]I thought I'd make it quick, so I put a knife in her chest." When it came to T, he said he didn't know why he attacked her, even claiming at one point that he thought she was a dwarf before realizing she was a child. He denied trying to kill her.

[00:22:15]Unsurprisingly, T was later diagnosed with PTSD and is expected to carry the psychological impact for the rest of her life.

[00:22:25]It was determined that Charles had been suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time, although he had never been formally diagnosed before. His mental health had been deteriorating in the months leading up to the attack.

[00:22:39]In court, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

[00:22:45]Charles Byrne was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 16 years for Christina's death, along with an additional 13 years for the attempted murder of T.

[00:22:58]He is currently being treated at Ashworth Hospital and is expected to be transferred to prison if and when he is considered well enough.

[00:23:08]On a quiet Sunday morning, within just 20 minutes, one man walked through the streets with a shotgun, shooting at anyone that he saw, complete strangers, and even people leaving church. By the time it was over, one person was dead and 16 more were injured. This is the case of Robert Sartin.

[00:23:32]On the 30th of April 1989, at around 11:40 a.m., 22-year-old Robert Sartin took his dad's double-barreled shotgun, got into the car outside his parents' home, and drove off. What followed was a 20-minute shooting spree that left an entire community in fear. His first victim was 43-year-old Judith Roads. She was simply driving along Pikely Road when she noticed a figure dressed in black. Suddenly, he fired at her windscreen twice, with the second shot hitting her hand. Moments later, 39-year-old Lorraine Noble was targeted as she tried to run from him on Windsor Road. She managed to make it home, but she was seriously injured. Then came John Kinnear, again, her husband James, and their neighbor William Dark. They were all shot while simply standing outside talking. But the most devastating moment came next.

[00:24:30]41-year-old Kenneth McIntosh, a father of two, was walking home from a church service when he was shot in the back. As he lay injured, he begged for his life, but Sartin allegedly told him, "It's your time to die," before shooting him again. Kenneth didn't survive, and Robert didn't stop there. 38-year-old Robert Wilson was shot in the face and the back, hit by around 60 pellets, and many of which couldn't be removed.

[00:25:00]Kathleen Lynch was then shot while looking out of her window. Brian Thomas was hit while riding his bike. And then, in one of the most chilling moments, 75-year-old Vera Burrows stood at her front door and came face-to-face with the gunman. She asked him what he was doing, and he replied, "It's me. I am killing people. I am going to kill you."

[00:25:23]And then, he raised his gun, but paused and said, "Oh, you are old. I won't kill you." And calmly walked away. But, more victims were still to come. William Reynolds was shot in the neck and back.

[00:25:37]Husband and wife Peter and Jean Bergan were shot while sitting in their car.

[00:25:42]Kathleen Miley had just left church when she was hit. Ernest Carter was shot in the legs. Roy Brown was shot through his car window. And finally, 69-year-old Jean Miller was shot in the stomach while in her garden. Throughout it all, witnesses were screaming at him, begging him not to shoot children. After firing his final shot, Roberts got back in his car and drove to Whitby Bay. But, he'd been followed by an officer in an unmarked police car, who had heard the radio call and recognized the vehicle.

[00:26:15]Roberts parked in a car park where he was arrested soon after. Roberts Sarton was charged with murder and 16 counts of attempted murder. But, the case didn't go to court for years. He was initially deemed unfit to plead, and it wasn't until 1996 that he finally appeared in court.

[00:26:35]Roberts Sarton pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and was detained indefinitely in a psychiatric hospital.

[00:26:44]Doctors later confirmed he had been suffering from acute schizophrenia, and at the time of the attacks, had no distinction between reality and hallucination.

[00:26:56]What this final inmate did to her own children is something almost no one can even begin to understand. This is the case of Sandra Riley.

[00:27:08]In 1976, Sandra gave birth to a baby boy named Andrew, but just days later, he was rushed to hospital with a skull fracture.

[00:27:18]Authorities believed it was an accident, but enough concern was raised that the family was placed on a risk register. A few years later, that monitoring stopped. Then in 1981, Sandra gave birth to another son, Christopher, but within just a few months, he was dead.

[00:27:37]His death was recorded as cot death.

[00:27:41]Then another 2 years later, she gave birth again to a baby boy. And once again, he died shortly after. But this time, Sandra confessed. She admitted that she had smothered the baby with a pillow.

[00:27:57]And during questioning, she went even further, admitting that she had also killed Christopher. Despite this, she wasn't sent to prison.

[00:28:07]Medical records concluded that she was suffering from postnatal depression, and she was given a 2-year probation order.

[00:28:15]Authorities believed that she was no threat to her older son, Andrew. At some point after this, her husband, Brian, allowed her to return home. He, too, trusted that she was not a danger to Andrew. A decision that would later haunt him. Because just 2 years after her trial, Sandra killed again. In 1986, she was left at home alone with 8-year-old Andrew. She took him into the bathroom, and according to reports, Andrew asked her, "Is it my turn to die, Mommy?"

[00:28:50]Sandra drowned her son in the bath as he pleaded, "Please don't kill me, Mom."

[00:28:58]At the time, Sandra was still on probation.

[00:29:02]She even later admitted to setting fire to the family home while Andrew was inside, just 1 year before his death.

[00:29:11]And it was also revealed that she had given birth to another baby boy back in 1974 who had also died as a baby.

[00:29:20]Although his death is officially recorded as cot death, many believe that that child may well have been another victim. By this point, the pattern was undeniable. Four separate medical reports concluded that Sandra was suffering from a severe psychotic disorder and posed a danger to both herself and others. In court, Sandra denied murder but admitted to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Sandra Riley was detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act and would later be held at Ashworth Hospital.