Psychiatric Clinic Ordered Closed in Aftermath of Park Murder

As seen in this report

A damning report into the case of a psychiatric patient who knifed to death a cyclist has ordered the closure of the unit responsible for his care.

The report on how paranoid schizophrenic John Barrett walked out of the secure unit at Springfield Hospital, Tooting, London in September 2004 and attacked Denis Finnegan as he cycled through Richmond Park, reveals a catalogue of blunders.

Barrett, 42, from Putney, was jailed for life at the Old Bailey last year after he was convicted of the manslaughter of 50-year-old Mr Finnegan, a retired banker.

Despite a long history of mental illness and violence, Barrett had been given "ground leave" from the hospital.

Doctors had no power to keep him against his will and he was allowed to wander the hospital complex unaccompanied on the understanding that he would return to the clinic. Instead he walked out and killed Mr Finnegan.

The 422-page report severely criticised South West London and St George's Mental Health Trust, which is responsible for Springfield.

It singles out and names individuals - including the psychiatrist who treated Barrett - doctors and social workers involved in Barrett's care.

Former trust chief executive Nigel Fisher is also believed to be mentioned in the highly critical findings.

The key recommendation in the report is to close the Shafesbury Unit pending an external audit by an independent-team. The clinic is the special-medium-secure facility in the hospital which treated Barrett.

The report stated the inquiry panel has doubts about managerial abilities and this had "serious implications for the safe delivery of patient care".

Mr Finnegan's brother John, 49, of Doncaster, who has read the report with his family, was shocked by its conclusions.

He said: "The contents of the report are a disgrace. The findings are a complete tragedy. They are worse than what we imagined. Every aspect of the mental health unit has been criticised."

Other cases at the hospital have included schizophrenic Jason Cann who beat to death nurse Eshan Chattun in 2003 and two dangerous patients going on the run in September of last year.

Two months later another patient, paranoid schizophrenic Sean Perry, was sent to Broadmoor Hospital after admitting the murder of 22-year-old Matthew Carter. The Finnegan family, including Mr Finnegan's two sisters and three brothers, said they are convinced that if the right procedures were taken their brother would still be alive.

With the backing of the mental health charity the Zito Trust, John Finnegan has put repeated pressure on the trust, the Strategic Health Authority - now NHS London - and the Government to discover the truth behind the circumstances into his brother's death.

The inquiry was undertaken by three leading experts including mental health lawyer, Robert Robinson, who chaired the committee. They were commissioned by the Strategic Health Authority and followed an internal report by the trust.

Mr Finnegan said: "This report confirmed my suspicions that the internal report was a waste of time. I was shocked at its frankness and the two years of doubt have been relieved."

Mr Finnegan's sister Annie Guest, 41, added: "It has taken the death of a fabulous person like Denis to make this happen. Denis was the heartbeat of this family. He was loved by everyone and desperately missed."

A Home Office spokesman said improvements have been made for monitoring systems for restricted patients.