James Nash killing: Gunman 'convinced author was Russian spy'

A man with a long history of mental illness shot a children's author after becoming wrongly convinced he was a Russian spy, an inquest has heard.

James Nash, 42, was attacked in his garden by his next-door neighbour in Upper Enham, Hampshire, on 5 August and died three days later.

The gunman, Alex Sartain, died in a motorbike crash while being pursued by police on the same day.

The coroner recorded a conclusion that Mr Nash was unlawfully killed.

Mr Nash wrote and illustrated children's books, including The Winter Wild.

Hampshire Coroner's Court was told Mr Sartain's mental health problems dated back to 2008 and his father had tried to raise concerns with a GP in June last year but "only got as far as the receptionist".

John Sartain said his son had become paranoid that Mr Nash, who had previously worked in the aerospace industry and was vice chairman of the parish council, was trying to control him.

The inquest was told Mr Sartain, 34, had been heard "muttering" in the days before the attack about Mr Nash working for Russian president Vladimir Putin, NASA and being involved in a conspiracy to "spread Covid".

The hearing was told that Mr Sartain also believed he was being tracked by the "CIA, MI6 and SO19".

On the day of the attack, Mr Nash was working in his front garden when raised voices were heard by his wife Sarah Nash - who had been on a video call indoors - followed by a bang.

"As soon as I opened the front door I could see a man in full black leathers stamping on the face of my husband who was flat out on his back," Mrs Nash said.

She said she tried to distract Mr Sartain from attacking her husband further as he shouted about his conspiracy theories before being able to run for help.

Mr Sartain had previously been sectioned under the Mental Health Act and was under the care of a community mental health team until April last year, it was heard.

Coroner Jason Pegg said a letter discharging him into the care of a GP was sent by the community mental health team to the Adelaide Medical Centre in Andover.

"That discharge letter... was never seen by the GP. Instead the surgery and practices had changed.the letter was received by the administration staff at the practice and never passed on as perhaps it should have been," he added.

The coroner added that it "cannot be ascertained" whether Mr Sartain would have been detained in June if his father's concerns had been passed on by the GP's receptionist.

He said he would not be taking the matter further as a new partnership was now running

An inquest into the death of Mr Sartain will be held on Wednesday.