nevergoagain
Well-known member
Correct me if I'm wrong but the Nottingham murderer had already been detained securely once and then released back into society ?. There is also then I believe a chance that IF he were to show that he was "cured" that he could again be released rather than transferred back to prison. I don't think that will happen but if correct that loophole needs closing.Quite a loaded post.
Being committed to a high security hospital (a maximum security MH unit) instead of a prison isn’t a particularly soft alternative to prison if it is in one of the high level security facilities and unlike a prison sentence, a person sentenced under section 37 of Mental Health Act can be held indefinitely on no fixed term, they can also be returned to prison if their treatment runs its course and their MH condition is under control - Ian Brady died in a mental hospital hospital; the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe was initially sentenced to a high security hospital (although transferred to prison later in life when it was deemed his treatment had come to an end) - he eventually died behind bars and Ronnie Kray died in Broadmoor. The security arrangements are equivalent to a Cat B prison and inmates have no choice over what treatment they receive.
The Nottingham murderer was diagnosed with severe paranoid schizophrenia so his sentence was downgraded to manslaughter due to diminished responsibility (insanity plea) - the judge ordered him to be retained under s37/s41 of the Mental Health Act in a high security hospital facility - these people for obvious reasons, can not be managed anyway in a ‘normal prison‘ environment.
The only big issue is the one over whether some people kept in high security hospitals under s37 orders, like the Nottingham killer, should be able to claim benefits- something Starmer is promising to review having said it was unacceptable.
As for everyone who goes to a church or a mosque being conflated with terrorists/having a ‘murderous intent’ - that’s probably 5-6% of the population - which I agree would be very concerning indeed if true.