A mentally ill man who killed his partner after becoming convinced she was possessed by the devil suddenly collapsed and died while on a hike.

Keith Solly, 65, was being detained indefinitely at the Trevor Gibbens psychiatric unit after being acquitted of murdering Yvonne Tapp on the grounds of insanity in July 2015.

An inquest into the death heard how the former Sevenoaks bus driver had been making a marked recovery after years of intensive treatment.

The court heard Mr Solly was in the middle of a ten mile walk with three other patients at East Peckham on April 15.

The group was supervised by a mental health worker and had just passed through St Michael’s Church just before 4pm when Mr Solly began to feel ill.

He told his companions he needed to sit down and was seen to lose colour before falling unconscious.

Despite CPR from other walkers and paramedics, Mr Solly died at the scene.

Patricia Harding, senior coroner, read evidence from police and health workers involved in Mr Solly’s care.

The court heard Mr Solly was overweight had an irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure and type two diabetes.

With encouragement from staff at his mental health unit he began exercising regularly and was being reviewed by a GP and cardiologist.

Having already completed a six mile walk, he was considered safe to take on the ten mile hike.

Mr Solly had a history of depression and had been diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder.

He was admitted to Priority House several times and it was during a stay in 2013 he met his partner.

He strangled his girlfriend of eight months in their flat in Lady’s Gift Road, Southborough in December 2015.

He buried her under a pile of furniture before calling the emergency services several times, in one instance singing ‘Oh my darling Clementine’ to the operator.

When police arrived Mr Solly was wearing women’s clothing and said: “I am Gladys!”
The couple had met while receiving treatment at Maidstone’s Priority House in 2013.

Patricia Harding, senior coroner, said she was satisfied Mr Solly had received appropriate care.

She concluded the cause of death was due to natural causes.

Mr Solly had recently reconciled with his two children, Joanna and Stephen.

Stephen Solly, who attended the hearing at Archbishop’s Palace in Maidstone, said: “He was almost back to the dad I used to know before his illness took over. We were starting to plan days out together but then he was taken from us.”