G4S to face legal battle after judge approves triple killer’s negligence lawsuit
A psychiatric patient, who killed three elderly men in Exeter, is suing security contractor G4S for negligence after the firm’s staff said he should be released from police custody.
The London firm will now face a High Court trial after a judge rejected G4S’s argument that Alexander Lewis-Ranwell should not be able to bring forward his claim due to his own illegal behaviour.
Lewis-Ranwell is seeking damages from G4S and others for the loss of liberty, damage to reputation, and loss of dignity resulting from his Exeter killing spree, during which he bludgeoned three men to death.
In the midst of his killing spree, Lewis-Ranwell was arrested and then released on three separate occasions over a four-day period, for attacking a farmer, burglary, and attacking a hotel worker.
The former ski instructor was later cleared of murder due to reasons of insanity, after he was diagnosed with psychosis and schizophrenia.
G4S refused to comment.