A MUM-OF-TWO who battled mental health issues should have been sectioned for longer, her devastated family has said at an inquest.

Karen Hennin, of Albert Street, Accrington, died of heart problems and was found by a friend in the lounge of her home on August 17.

But the 55-year-old spent time at the Edisford female assessment ward at Royal Blackburn Hospital and The Priory Hospital in Preston after being sectioned.

At her inquest, Karen’s sister Patricia Martin said she should have been kept in the Priory, a 38-bed independent mental health hospital, for longer.

Her sister claimed that Karen had attacked her autistic son with a dog lead while on a home leave from the hospital.

She also said that Karen had attacked her daughter at the Priory, was involved in a knife incident while on a home leave and scrawled references to the bible on the wall of her home which read ‘God, the bible, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John’.

Patricia said: “She attacked her daughter in the Priory, attacked her son and carried a knife.

“What does it take to be sectioned? Do you have to kill someone?

“She was not fit to go home and should have been sectioned longer.”

The inquest heard that Karen had been detained under the mental health act on May 4 at the Edisford ward and remained there until May 11.

She was then transferred to the Priory where she spent 17 days but was allowed out on home leave before she discharged herself on June 6.

Dr Prem Mahadun, who was a consultant at Preston Priory Hospital, at the time Karen was admitted said the criteria to keep her sectioned was not met.

He said: “She was seen at the hospital by a ward doctor and risk assessed.

“After 48 hours, she was not posing a significant risk to herself or others or at risk of self-harm, where she remained as an informal patient.

“The criteria under the mental health act section 2 was not met when she discharged herself.”

Recording his conclusion that Karen died from natural causes, East Lancashire assistant coroner Richard Taylor, said: “The doctors can only work within the law, people with mental health will present differently day-to-day.

“Karen had significant heart problems - and a significant aortic valve replacement, a huge operation that knocked her for six.

“Ultimately, it was her heart that took her away and that’s a natural cause of death.

“So I conclude that she died at Albert Street, Accrington, on August 17 last year from complications of heart problems.”