A coroner has ruled that the death of an elderly woman, who was violently sexually assaulted while in hospital care, was an unlawful killing. Valerie Kneale, a 75-year-old retired clerical assistant, was admitted to Blackpool Victoria Hospital on November 16, 2018, after suffering a stroke at her home in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire.

Mrs Kneale was described as "chatty" and lucid when her family left her at the hospital shortly before midnight on November 12. However, her relatives were called back urgently after a significant deterioration in her condition was observed during the day shift. The coroner's court heard that it was believed the effects of her stroke had worsened, leading to a decision to place her on end-of-life care. Her family remained by her side until she passed away.

Following her death, police were prompted to investigate allegations of mistreatment and neglect within the stroke unit. A post-mortem examination later determined that Mrs Kneale did not die as a result of the "forcible sexual assault" that occurred during her hospital stay. However, detectives launched a murder investigation after it was revealed that three healthcare assistants had witnessed a "significant" amount of blood surrounding her shortly after her death.