Crossbow attacker who was shot dead by police after breaking into his old home was 'emotionally naive', his mother tells inquest

The mother of a 30-year-old man who was shot dead by police after breaking into his old home armed with a crossbow and a sword said it was 'out of character' for her son.Jaqueline Hodgson told Southwark Coroner's Court that her son was shy and 'non-violent' and his actions were 'entirely at odds' with the person he was throughout the rest of his life.Bryce Hodgson was killed by armed officers after entering his old home in Surrey Quays, southeast London, armed with weapons on January 30, 2024.Hodgson was a stalker convicted under a five-year court restraining order and had been banned from entering Bywater Place in Surrey Quays in 2023, where he was shot dead a year later. Reading a pen portrait to jurors at his inquest on Monday, his mother said she is 'deeply sorry for the distress and hurt Bryce caused'.'We were and remain utterly shocked by what happened,' Mrs Hodgson said, saying it was 'completely out of character' for her son.She described him as 'quiet and unassuming', and told the court he did not like discussing his feelings, was shy, 'emotionally naive' and had never had a significant romantic relationship.He had a happy childhood and a great relationship with his sister, who was three years his junior, and would help his grandmother with new technology, she said.However, his life changed at the beginning of 2023 when he seemed increasingly anxious, jurors were told. Bryce Hodgson was killed by armed officers after entering his old home in Surrey Quays, southeast LondonWhen he visited his parents in their new home outside the UK that spring, he expressed concerns about trouble in his house share in London.Mrs Hodgson said: 'He visited in March and he was anxious about deteriorating relationships in the house and told us that the atmosphere in the house was very difficult.'Later that year, he called them to say he was due to appear in court charged with a criminal offence.'We were shocked by this as, to the best of our knowledge, he had never been in trouble,' Mrs Hodgson said.She went on: 'Bryce told us that he felt he didn't deserve to be convicted but that he had been advised to plead guilty.'In July 2023, Hodgson was convicted of stalking and was given a suspended sentence.Mrs Hodgson told the jury her son was in a mental health crisis, and that his family want to understand what happened to him and whether there were any missed opportunities to stop it.She said she 'cannot recognise' the person involved in the incident, and that her son was 'non-violent'.'Bryce will always be loved and missed by his family and his friends,' she said.Mr Hodgson was taken to A&E in May 2023 after one of his flatmates called an ambulance amid concerns over his mental health, the court heard.In the following months, there were fears that he might be under-reporting symptoms related to psychosis, jurors were told. A gas mask and crossbow arrows were seen by the house at Bywater Place, Surrey QuaysHe became increasingly concerned about his physical health and had a series of inconclusive medical tests, the jury heard, but when he visited his parents again for Christmas that year seemed happy and positive about the future.Mrs Hodgson said she is 'so grateful' the family had that time together before his death the following month.'When the police called with the terrible news about what had happened, we were completely and utterly shocked,' she said.Consultant psychiatrist Dr Andrea Ilario De Micheli told the court that he was 'co-operative and polite' with doctors who assessed him, and remained able to work in his job in IT at the Imperial War Museum.He told medics that he had a 'misunderstanding' with his housemates after mistakenly thinking one was romantically interested in him.Hodgson bought roses for his female flatmate, and heard her listening to songs about roses afterwards and thought this meant she had feelings for him, jurors were told.'He believed that she was interested in him as well. This created a lot of misunderstanding,' Mr De Micheli said.Hodgson was convicted of stalking and given a suspended sentence in July 2023, the court heard.Earlier, coroner Dr Julian Morris told jurors Hodgson had previously lived at the house in Bywater Place.He said: 'In the early hours of January 30, 2024 he returned to 27 Bywater Place.'He was carrying various weapons, including a crossbow and a sword.'Local police who attended first attempted to control the situation but were unable to do so.'Members of the Metropolitan Police Service firearms unit were tasked with attending and did so soon after.'Following their attendance, two shots were fired.'Medics from both the land and air ambulance tried to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, the court heard.The inquest is expected to take around four weeks.