Woman killed man in unprovoked racist attack after asking to be sent back to hospital

25 April 2025, 17:41 | Updated: 25 April 2025, 17:54

A woman, who had been hospitalised 14 times in 10 years, stabbed a man to death in a racist and unprovoked attack just moments after asking her care worker that she be sent back to hospital.

Christina Howell attacked Hubert “Isaac” Brown, 61, by stabbing him in the neck while he was sitting on a wall in the St Pauls area of Bristol on September 29 2023.

Howell, 37, of Easton, who had been diagnosed with a schizoaffective disorder, had told her care worker she was going to “get the Jamaican drug dealer” minutes before she attacked Mr Brown.

The victim was not a Jamaican drug dealer and was described as a local and likeable character in the community, Bristol Crown Court heard.

Howell’s care worker called the police after a meeting with Howell, but by the time he did she had already attacked the victim.

When interviewed by the police, Howell said she wanted the attack to be “perfect” and called herself the “Charles Bronson of Bristol”.

Several members of the public witnessed the attack and tried to restrain Howell. Mr Brown was rushed to hospital in a taxi but died later that afternoon.

The court heard how in Mr Brown’s final moments of consciousness, witnesses heard Howell hurl racist abuse at him.

Howell, who is currently being held at Rampton Hospital, Nottinghamshire, earlier admitted manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility having originally entered a not guilty plea in November 2024.

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On Friday, His Honour Judge Peter Blair KC, Recorder of Bristol, handed her a hospital order, with a restriction order which he insisted may “last much longer” than a prison sentence.

Howell will also be prohibited from entering the City of Bristol for an indefinite time.

Prosecuting, Richard Posner said: “On the afternoon of September 29 2023 Christina Howell left her home armed with a knife. She intended to seek out someone who she believed was a Jamaican drug dealer and kill him.

“She saw in St Pauls on Grosvenor Road a 61-year-old man sat on a wall minding his own business, his name was Hubert Brown.

“He was a local and likable character in the community, and those who knew him spoke of him with warmth – he was not a Jamaican drug dealer.

“In broad daylight and without any provocation, Christina Howell stabbed Hubert Brown in the neck.

“Tragically, Hubert Brown died later that afternoon.

“It was a callous attack that left a close-knit family and a local community stunned.”

The victim’s cousin, Dion Johnson, said Mr Brown was more than another victim of racist violence, and criticised a “complete lack of remorse” from Howell.

Speaking to the court, Ms Johnson said: “We have always wondered whether more could have been done to keep Isaac safe.

“To know that those were some of the last words Isaac heard before he died causes us unbearable pain. Isaac is more than another victim of racist violence, he deserves respect and his loss should not be in vain.”

In the 24 hours before the attack, Howell, who was on antipsychotic medication for schizoaffective disorder, had been posting “bizarre and aggressive” rants on Facebook, the court heard.

Judge Blair accepted the defendant had “tragic” and “difficult” struggles and said that despite receiving regular antipsychotic injections, her health had “deteriorated fast” prior to the attack.

Howell had been hospitalised 14 times in 10 years prior to the attack.

Mr Brown was killed with a four-inch lock knife which Howell had shown to her care worker during the meeting in which she asked to return to hospital.

In police custody after the killing, Howell was reportedly excitable and sporadically talkative, the court heard.

Howell also claimed to be the “Charles Bronson of Bristol” and when charged with murder she told police: “I regret that I stabbed him, not that he died.”

In sentencing, Judge Blair said: “It was a racist attack. Let’s make no bones about it, the things you said at the time and afterwards make plain that that was a feature of your behaviour at that moment in time.

“I’m faced with a very stark choice because for the facts that have been described to me you plainly are a danger and this is a case where, as I have already made comment in the submissions of the barristers, requires imprisonment for life.

“I have been persuaded that it would be inappropriate to pass a hybrid order.

“I am going to impose a hospital order under section 37 of the mental health act with restrictions required under 41 of the mental health act.

“You can expect that you will be very much older before any risk will be taken for you beginning to have any access to the public.”