Man given hospital order for killing wife

A man who killed his wife while he was experiencing a psychotic episode has been given an indefinite hospital detention.

Accountant Darryl Bowen, 43, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Alison Bowen, 41, at their home in the Kingswood area of Bristol in November 2023.

Sentencing him at Bristol Crown Court, Judge Julian Lambert said Bowen, who had been suffering from work-related stress, was "labouring under the false belief the world was coming to an end" when he attacked his wife.

Bowen's defence counsel said he had experienced "bewilderment" at what he had done.

He will not be released without the permission of the Ministry of Justice, or a tribunal.

The judge described Mrs Bowen as a "wonderful daughter, beloved sister and a kind and devoted wife," who was "loving and nurturing".

"I find it difficult to describe the epic depth of the tragedy in this case," he said.

"This was the ultimate betrayal of your wife.

"It is a struggle ever to understand how the mind of a husband and devout churchgoer became so distorted that he could have done this.

"The origin of such disorder is beyond my powers of understanding but there is no doubt you were deeply deluded and very ill.

"You remain ill and your recovery is uncertain," he said.

He added that psychiatrists who examined Bowen agreed he was suffering from mental illness, possibly caused by "significant" work stress.

Andrew Langdon KC, prosecuting, told the court that Bowen previously had a psychiatric episode and spent time in hospital in 2004 but was released from the mental health team in 2008, after becoming symptom-free.

In August 2023, he contacted his GP over stress at work.

Then, on the day before Mrs Bowen's death, he was seen acting in a "bizarre and disturbed" manner in a restaurant.

Mr Langdon said Bowen fatally stabbed his wife with a kitchen knife on 20 November, after she asked to call their pastor when he attempted to cut cables in their home.

Police found Mrs Bowen with significant injuries and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

In a statement, Mrs Bowen’s family said: “As a family we are devastated that Alison has been killed and, although we cannot repair what has been done to her and to our family, we are all pulling together to help each other as we move forward.

“What happened that day has changed our family’s world for ever but our focus is now on working together to rebuild our lives.”

Mrs Bowen ran a home education hub which helped many families, Mr Langdon added.

Charles Row KC, representing Bowen, said his client was a man of previously good character who was experiencing “bewilderment” at what he had done.

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