A MENTAL health patient who stabbed her Hampshire mother to death is suing the NHS.

Ecila Henderson, 44, was held under the Mental Health Act after being charged with the murder of her 69-year-old mother, Rosemary Armstrong, in Boscombe.

Henderson admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at Winchester Crown Court following the attack in Queensland Road, Pokesdown in 2010.

Now, she is suing the NHS because they failed to stop her carrying out the fatal attack.

Henderson, who stabbed the retired PE teacher and mother of three, was given a hospital order following the hearing.

Mrs Armstrong, who was a mother of three, was a regular churchgoer and history society member in Redlynch.

She was a PE teacher at Fordingbridge Junior School for 12 years before she retired in July 2001.

 The NHS have admitted liability in the treatment up until the incident and apologised.

But they will not pay out compensation to Henderson, despite lawyers suggesting she would not have stabbed her mother to death if medics had not let her down, reports say.

A spokesperson for Dorset HealthCare, said: “Ecila Henderson is seeking damages against Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust for omissions in care and treatment back in 2010.

"We have already made an admission of liability in respect of the deficiencies in treatment up to the moment Ms Henderson killed her mother, and we are deeply sorry.

"We accept that Ms Henderson has experienced pain and suffering as a result of the admitted breaches of duty. "The question of whether Ms Henderson should recover damages is a legal matter which will be dealt with by the court."

Mrs Armstrong was found outside the Queensland Lodge block of flats in August 2010.

Part of the block was owned by Knightstone Housing Association and was home to Ecila Henderson and nine other 'vulnerable' people.

The case will be heard at London's High Court.