Stoke-on-tant dads world ‘reverse’ after killing his wife

The father of two children killed his mother to death, saying that his world had turned upside down from his death, an inquiry has been heard.

Veronic John killed his daughter Elizabeth, seven and son Ethan on 11 June 2023 at the family house in Stoke-on-Trent. He was ordered an indefinite hospital in July 2024.

The inquiry earlier heard that she was released from custody after attacking her husband Nathan John, as she did not meet the threshold for madness at that time.

During Thursday’s hearing, a statement by Mr. John, read by Koroner Emma Serano, paid tribute to Ethan -friendly nature and Elizabeth’s “bright and bubbly” personality.

“On June 11, my whole world was vomiting,” he said. “I lost two most important and precious people in one go in my life.

“Especially hurt was a person who was to love him as much as I did, cruelly and viciously.

“I regret that I can’t do anything to prevent it from happening. The word cannot describe the acts done on that dark day – it’s frightening.”

He said that Ethan had a smile that “heats your heart”, and started “blooming” in school, winning a mathematician of the year certificate.

Elizabeth was treated like a princess, loved unicorn and was “passionate” with the film, Mr. John said.

She said, “She preferred to watch cartoons with her brother, during which she laughed together, and she was very loved and protective towards her brother,” she said.

Mr. John had earlier expressed concern that his wife “would use children against him” and told the police on 9 June that he had assaulted her with a wooden bed slat and threatened to stab her.

She was arrested at home and taken into custody, where she said that she slapped her husband, but refused to threaten anyone to kill, stated during interrogation.

She was able to return home in the early hours of June 11. Later that morning, he discovered online for information about overdose and jail sentence for murder, listening to interrogation on Wednesday.

On the same day, Mr. John informed him that he would not return to live with him, listened to the inquiry. He went to another address and his wife was released at home with the children.

He stabbed Ethan 21 times and Elizabeth was also stabbed, leaving him with a deadly brain injury, before Mrs. John asked the police to tell what he had done.

Advisory psychiatrist Dr. Gilian Bennett said earlier that Mrs. John did not meet the threshold of insanity when she was in custody.

The domestic violence conservation notice said that a domestic violence conservation notice would have prevented Mrs. John from returning to the family’s house for 48 hours, but a community proposal notice had issued a community.

Inspector Bruce Wilkinson, who had issued a notice, said that she was not aware of the allegations of Mrs. John’s allegations that she was harassing her husband earlier.

“I certainly didn’t think there was a physical risk for the children,” he said.

Inquiries heard that in the months after the assessment in custody, Mrs. John revealed complex post-tromatic stress disorder and a personality disorder and was not considered fit to argue in court.

Medical records revealed that Mrs. John was first prescribed antidepressants, and since 2012, a former partner had experienced an abortion, Stillbarth, her mother’s death and domestic abuse from a former partner.

He was sent to a psychiatrist seven years before the death of the children and first tried to end his life.

The inquiry is going on.