A WOMAN has admitted killing a fellow patient at a psychiatric hospital in Bradford, fearing she would be "killed and tortured" herself.

Rachel Bowen is thought to have smothered Linda Goswell at Cygnet Hospital Bierley.

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The 49-year-old appeared via video link from the high-security Rampton Hospital in Nottinghamshire at Bradford Crown Court today.

She pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mrs Goswell, 52, on August 2 last year when they were both patients at the facility in Bierley Lane.

The Recorder of Bradford Judge Roger Thomas ordered Bowen by detained in hospital and imposed a restriction order.

Bowen went into Mrs Goswell's room shortly after 2.30am and stayed for 42 minutes without anyone realising she was there.

Mrs Goswell was found unresponsive by hospital staff at 5am and pronounced dead at 6am.

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The judge said Mrs Goswell, who was from Halifax, and Bowen, who was from Bath, had both been let down.

A system of overnight checks on patients at the hospital should have prevented Bowen from being in Mrs Goswell's room "perhaps at all and certainly for that length of time", Judge Thomas added.

Bowen initially told a nursing assistant: "I think I did something bad last night. I killed that lady. I strangled her with my hands, I think."

A spokesman for the hospital said it would continue to work closely with NHS England to "investigate the issue relating to this tragic incident" but could not comment further due to a pending report.

"Out thoughts and feelings remain with the deceased's family at this difficult time," he added.