Amber Thompson had concerns about Peter Pitt when he began a relationship with her older sister, Charlene Mills, approximately eight years ago. Pitt, a heroin user, quickly became a dominant part of Charlene's life, leading her to extremes in her efforts to support him, including sourcing drugs on his behalf.

Throughout their relationship, Charlene faced verbal abuse from Pitt, ultimately culminating in a tragic incident. By September 2023, the couple had separated, though Charlene appeared eager to rekindle their romance.

One fateful Friday night, Charlene, 43, spent time with Pitt at his shared house in Gorton, where she would not survive the night. Pitt strangled her to death and left her body in his bed, with the grim discovery made the following morning.

Pitt, 52, diagnosed with schizophrenia, later pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Following the incident, Amber shared her thoughts with the Manchester Evening News, stating, "I didn’t like him. He is a heroin user... My sister had a heart of gold and wanted to help him."

Amber recounted how Charlene believed she could help Pitt through his struggles, stating, “That was my view from the start till the end... There’s no helping Peter Pitt. He is a lost cause.” The loss of Charlene left her family devastated, with her mother particularly affected.

Described as “beautiful inside and out” and someone who brought joy to others, Charlene's absence has since left a void in her family's lives. Amber lamented, "the world just won’t be as fun without her," insisting that her sister was too good for Pitt.

Amber shared how she and Charlene often argued about Peters's influence over her sister, reflecting on how Charlene became entrapped in his world: “She was stuck in her little Peter world... running around collecting money off any Tom, Dick and Harry she could, to feed his habit.”

Amber explained how Pitt manipulated Charlene into providing money, claiming to be ill and unable to fend for himself, ultimately exploiting her caring nature.

On September 30, Amber received the heartbreaking news of her sister's death, recalling her mother’s emotional call: “She called me screaming saying 'my sister’s dead'.”

After Charlene’s death, Pitt faced murder charges. Assessments confirmed he was suffering from schizophrenia during the killing, leading to a ruling of manslaughter by diminished responsibility. Before the incident, he had experienced paranoid delusions about Charlene trying to poison him, with his drug use further worsening his mental health.

Amber asserted, "He was abusive to her... He knew that she could get better... He didn’t want her to give that to someone else." The impact of Pitt’s actions extended beyond Charlene’s tragic end, deeply affecting her family’s wellbeing.

Amber reflected on the emotional toll this has taken on their mother, stating, “Nothing is cheering her up, nothing is making her happy.”

In a recent decision at Manchester Crown Court, Pitt was sentenced to a hospital order with restrictions under the Mental Health Act. He will remain hospitalized for treatment, only to be released with the Secretary of State for Justice’s approval.