Law Weblog

Mental Health Bill stalls yet again in the Lords

Thursday 22 February 2007 at 9:40 pm | In News | Post Comment Plans to lock up more mental patients are in turmoil after a Government bill was mauled in the House of Lords this week.

A murder is committed every week by mental patients released into the community, so for 8 years there has been a campaign to reform the law relating to mental health.

The current law does not permit the detention of those with severe personality disorders unless they have previously committed a crime. A bill to change mental health law was roundly defeated as peers feared the proposed law would have allowed the detention of those who drink too heavily, take drugs, or have sexual identity or orientation problems � so long as they are thought to represent a risk to the public.

The Lords also proposed an amendment to the Bill that would have meant no one could be locked away, whatever their risk to the public, unless there was a substantial chance that treatment would alleviate or prevent deterioration in their condition.

Criticism of the law became focused following the conviction in 1998 of Michael Stone for the murders of Lin and Megan Russell. Stone killed shortly after being discharged from a psychiatric hospital.