A grieving County Durham family have welcomed a coroner's decision to look at 'missed opportunities' to detain their sister's psychotic killer hours before she was stabbed to death.
Angela Lloyd, 56, was brutally stabbed with a knife and pair of scissors by stranger Patricia Hewitt 47 times at her home in Bakewell Place, Newton Aycliffe, on August 13, 2025.
Hours earlier, Hewitt was given a suspended sentence by magistrates in Newton Aycliffe for attacking a woman the previous day.
She was later spoken to by police community support officers after reportedly stealing wine, but was moved on and denied a lift home. She went on to attack Ms Lloyd.
An inquest is not typically held when someone has been convicted over a death, but on Tuesday (October 6) Senior Coroner for Durham and Darlington Jeremy Chipperfield said there were "sufficient reasons to resume and have an inquest" and described the case as "rather complex".
Angela’s brothers, Joe and Patrick Lloyd, say the inquest could finally provide answers about the police response to Hewitt before the killing, and the handling of the calls Angela made while desperately seeking help.
The family believe their sister might still be alive if Hewitt had not been allowed to leave the area by police community support officers.
Patricia Hewitt has been detained at Rampton Hospital after she admitted the manslaughter of Angela Lloyd in her Newton Aycliffe home
Joe Lloyd said: "What we need is closure. It has been a really bad year, and we were hoping next year we could start fresh.
"We just want justice for Angela. If police didn’t let Ms Hewitt wander off, Angela would probably be alive.
"We’re a strong family but it has blown the whole family apart.
"Police could have made things a lot better. Now we just want to get things done properly. There are a lot of unanswered questions."
The inquest hearing at The Miners Hall in Durham heard Mr Chipperfield had decided the inquest should be resumed because there were "issues which were not progressed in criminal proceedings".
Angela Lloyd was found dead at a property on Bakewell Place in Newton Aycliffe last August
He said: "The criminal trial focuses on what the defendant did, but there are issues outside of that which have not been explored properly."
The coroner said the case raised questions about how Hewitt was able to act despite being known to police.
Hewitt, who had been acting erratically in the hours before the attack, later admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility and was detained indefinitely at Rampton Hospital.
Teesside Crown Court heard previously that Hewitt had been reported to police after stealing wine from Morrisons Daily and attempting to enter other people’s homes.
Two PCSOs located Hewitt, but she refused their assistance before leaving the area and heading towards Angela’s bungalow.
Angela Lloyd was found dead at a property on Bakewell Place in Newton Aycliffe last August
Patrick said: "Hewitt had well over a hundred run-ins with police. The day before, she was convicted of assault.
"It doesn’t make any sense. They knew who she was, why send PCSOs when they had no power whatsoever?"
Angela, who suffered from numerous medical conditions and had limited mobility, was alone in her bungalow when Hewitt entered the property and launched the fatal attack.
Part of the attack was recorded after Angela contacted her care provider and could be heard shouting that she was "being stabbed to death".
The inquest heard Angela made "several calls" after pressing her community alarm button but was not attended to for around an hour because the calls were considered "unclear".
Joe said: "They couldn’t understand what she was saying, but she could have been having a stroke or a heart attack. They also clearly heard what [Hewitt] was saying when she said ‘where’s my f** king money’, yet they didn’t respond."
He added: "Police kept saying they didn’t know she was capable, even though she was getting more and more violent. She was a ticking time bomb. We don’t accept that kind of thing.
"We always hoped Angela passed quickly, but only found out in court that wasn’t the case. It took half an hour."
The inquest was adjourned for a pre-inquest review hearing before Area Coroner Crispin Oliver at Crook Coroners’ Court at 10am on November 6.
Psychiatrists concluded Hewitt was suffering from schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms when she attacked Angela, and that these were not drug- or alcohol-induced.
The judge ordered Hewitt to be detained at Rampton under hospital and restriction orders, with any future release decision left to the Mental Health Tribunal.
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A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said: “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies remain with Angela’s family and everyone who has been affected by her tragic death.
“Durham Constabulary carried out a thorough investigation into her death and Patricia Hewitt was subsequently arrested and pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. She was handed an indefinite hospital order.
“Angela’s death continues to be the subject of an ongoing coronial process, and it would therefore be inappropriate for us to comment on the circumstances surrounding the case until after this has concluded.”