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More prisoners with mental health conditions “absconding” (20 August 2014)

Date: 20/08/2014
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, More prisoners with mental health conditions “absconding”

A record number of convicted criminals detained in secure mental health units have absconded over the last three years – representing a 35% increase.

The Daily Mail reports that in 2013, a total of 153 convicted criminals detained at secure mental health units managed to escape – one convicted murderer managed to get as far as Germany, Poland and Belgium before being recaptured.

A total of four convicts detained in mental health secure units who escaped before 2010 are still at large.

The Assistant Chief Executive of Victim Support, Adam Pemberton, said that for victims and their families, the thought that a convicted criminal with a mental health condition is out of prison can make it even harder for them to “move on” from the crime.

“Victims need to be able to have confidence that dangerous offenders will be held securely,” Mr Pemberton said.
“Without this, it can be difficult for people to move on from crime.

“If any dangerous offenders do escape or abscond, it is essential that the authorities keep victims informed.”
A report in The Sun newspaper reveals that the number of “restricted patients” (those with mental health conditions) escaping from secure prisons has risen steadily over the last four years – from 113 in 2010 to 120 in 2011, with a sharp increase to 146 in 2012 and 153 last year.

Offenders with mental health conditions may be sent to secure or medium secure units – but in recent years, some have managed to abscond even from secure units.

The Conservative MP Philip Davies has campaigned against “soft touch” treatment of prisoners with mental health conditions – and has criticised judges, calling for more protection for the public from prisoners with mental health issues who may have committed violent crimes.

Mr Davies told the Daily Mail that the system “is broken and needs fixing”.

“The public are right to be concerned –clearly the system is not good enough,” Mr Davies said.

“Some of these people are extremely dangerous and should be in secure accommodation – but that accommodation is not particularly secure at the moment.

“It's the equivalent of an open prison, where people are given the opportunity to simply walk out of the grounds – and that cannot be acceptable, but too often that's happening.
“Protecting the public should be the main priority – but in many cases, it is important to protect these criminals from themselves,” he added.

“They should never be given the opportunity to repeat their crimes they have been convicted of.”

Mr Davies also said that the current justice system was “too lax” – and the rights of criminals “seems to come above the safety of the public”.

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Duncan Lewis crime lawyers regularly visit police stations, courts and prisons – and can advise on sentence appeals and appeals against convictions, as well as Parole Board applications and access to health services in prison, including mental health services.

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