Don't let there be another Sarah and another family traumatised by watching their child deteriorate before their eyes

Karen Lawson Sarah's mother

"I want to appeal to those who are in a position of power to investigate the level of care mentally ill patients receive," she said.

"Don't let there be another Sarah and another family traumatised by watching their child deteriorate before their eyes."

She said 22-year-old Sarah had suffered manic depression for 10 years, and made many suicide attempts.

Yet she said the family were repeatedly let down by doctors and other medical staff.

"We could find no-one in the area able to help and we were never even given a diagnosis or given advice on dealing with the situation," she said.

One nurse suggested that Sarah take up a hobby.

"This was a serious suggestion made to a young woman who made regular suicide attempts and lacerated her arms so deeply they needed suturing and later cosmetic surgery," Mrs Lawson complained.

Karen Lawson: Depressed during daughter's illness

She described Sarah as "generous, funny, intelligent and good looking" and said: "Family and friends loved her and still do. Unfortunately Sarah was mentally ill.

"She never hurt anyone and kept her suffering to herself, but for Sarah life was intolerable - deep, dark depression interspersed with short periods of remission."

She said that Sarah's GP only gave her a 50% chance of survival, yet the family still received no help.

"Each day was like living on a knife-edge, coming home and never knowing what we would find - would she be dead or covered in blood and burns," she added.

Sarah's condition had dramatically worsened in the week before she died, with several attempts at suicide and self-harm.

Cannabis

On the day she died Sarah was admitted to the mental health unit at Worthing Hospital but was asked to leave for allegedly smoking cannabis. A post mortem revealed no trace of the drug.

Mrs Lawson criticised the hospital and said she had told staff that discharging her was a "death sentence".

A spokesman for Worthing Priority Care NHS trust said there would be an independent inquiry into the Sarah's case.

But stressed that Sarah did not have a diagnosis of manic depression and that the trust had worked closely with her family to try and help her.

"There is a complex background to this case.

"Sarah was known to the Mental Health Services in Worthing and had been offered a comprehensive treatment plan.

"We did our utmost to engage with her and her family over a long period of time."

The spokesman said that Sarah had broken an agreement with the hospital not to abuse drugs or alcohol and had given cannabis to another patient. He said this was why she had been discharged.

Mr Lawson said he had talked to Sarah for a couple of hours the evening of her death, before the conversation turned to him helping her to commit suicide.

The defendant contacted Worthing police station early the next day to say he had killed his daughter.

He helped her take an overdose of anti-depressants which failed to kill her, and then placed a plastic bag over her head, before suffocating her with a pillow and his hand.

Family distraught

Lawson told police he had taken part in the mercy killing as his family could take no more and he felt the NHS had repeatedly failed to help his daughter.

Philip Sapsford QC, defending, told the court: "What Mr Lawson was really saying to the police was this: 'I could not fail Sarah, like everyone else had. I had to do it and Sarah is now at rest'."

Justice Robert Nelson adjourned sentencing of Lawson for reports from the probation service.

He was released on conditional bail to return to the court at a date to be arranged.

The families should be given much more information and much more support, it is absolutely shocking how little help they get

Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of Sane

Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of mental health charity Sane, said the case highlighted shortcomings in the provision of mental health services.

She said she was very surprised that Sarah had been discharged from hospital considering her problems and she said her family should have received more support.

"The families should be given much more information and much more support, it is absolutely shocking how little help they get."