“Justice Minister Bridget Prentice has given a speech at the first open meeting of the Public Guardian Board, a body set up under the Mental Capacity Act to scrutinise and review the work of the Office of the Public Guardian.”
Ministry of Justice, 8th October 2008
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
“Lawyers are lining up to challenge the legality of the new Mental Health Act as fears about the imminent new powers grow among patients.”
The Independent, 28th September 2008
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“Thousands of mentally ill people are being detained in police cells instead of being taken to hospital, according to a report.”
Daily Telegraph, 10th September 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“England’s director of mental health care today called for tougher standards for secure hospitals after it emerged that at least 116 mentally ill criminals escaped last year, more than 20 times the rate of escapes by offenders held in prison.”
The Times, 9th September 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“A paranoid schizophrenic has been found guilty of murdering a father-of-three who was stabbed more than 80 times.”
BBC News, 1st September 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Incidences of self-harm in immigration detention centres rose 73 per cent in the first six months of this year, Home Office figures have revealed. The sharp increase has provoked calls for the Government to re-examine its policy of treating asylum-seekers as prisoners.”
The Independent, 31st August 2008
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“The number of killings by people with mental health problems in England and Wales has fallen by two-thirds in the last 30 years, a study has found.”
BBC News, 1st August 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“NHS psychiatric hospitals are failing to stop thousands of patients a year from absconding during periods of compulsory detention under the Mental Health Act, the Healthcare Commission revealed last night.”
The Guardian, 23rd July 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The father of two children killed by their mentally ill mother yesterday condemned as ‘scandalous whitewash’ an inquiry that stopped short of blaming any individual for the tragedy.”
The Guardian, 18th July 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Health professionals failed to assess the risk a mentally ill mother posed to her two young children, a report into their deaths has found.”
BBC News, 17th July 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“In 2006, there were 23,420 recorded incidents of self-harm among a total prisoner population in England and Wales of 78,000.”
The Guardian, 2nd July 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“A psychiatrist is suing her employer for £300,000 compensation because she was ‘humiliated’ and made to stop work after she released a mental patient who fatally stabbed a retired banker the next day.”
Daily Telegraph, 28th June 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Regina v C (Mental disorder: Sexual activity)
Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)
“The effect of a mental disorder had to be severe before it would have the effect that a person was unable to choose whether to submit to sexual activity. If a complainant consented to sexual activity against her inclination because she was frightened of the defendant, even if her fear was irrational and caused by her mental disorder, it did not follow that she lacked the capacity to choose whether to agree to sexual activity.”
The Times, 9th June 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
“Women’s Institute members have voted overwhelmingly to back a resolution calling for an end to ‘inappropriate imprisonment’ of the mentally ill.”
BBC News, 4th June 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A teenager beat and raped a pregnant woman the day after he was allowed to walk free from remand because of a lack of secure hospital beds.”
Daily Telegraph, 3rd June 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“Prison mental health services are struggling to cope as overstretched staff try to deal with rising levels of mental illness among prisoners, a major report will warn next week. Thousands of seriously mentally ill prisoners are being released untreated back into the community, it says.”
The Independent, 25th May 2008
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“Yorkshire ripper Peter Sutcliffe has launched a bid for freedom, claiming his human rights have been breached.”
Daily Telegraph, 14th May 2008
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“A judge has criticised social workers for not helping a young mother who killed her two-year-old daughter.”
BBC News, 12th May 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A man who killed a 21-year-old man had told mental health services of his fantasies to murder – but was not given adequate help, a report has found.”
BBC News, 8th May 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
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