Police and health officials are calling for extended powers to detain mentally ill people following an inquiry into the case of a "psychotic driver" who killed two men.

The independent inquiry into the killings of two men by Richard Allott - who believed he was a character from the film Terminator - found that shortcomings in the care he received were due to "system failure".

The report outlined how ambulance staff and police had been called to a domestic incident at Allott's home in Old Milverton, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire just hours before he mowed the men down in his car.

But despite making the assessment that he was in need of urgent psychiatric care, they were unable to detain him under the Mental Health Act because he was not in a public place.

The inquiry panel, which heard evidence that Allott also consulted a GP on the same day, also recommended that a nationwide register of patients with enduring mental illnesses be set up.

Allott, whose mental illness is thought to have been triggered by illegal drug use in the 1970s, was ordered to be detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act last February after pleading guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Richard Aston, 20, of Leamington Spa and Richard Chandler, 26, of Little Kineton, Warwickshire, died in May 1998 when they were mown down by Allott in Leamington Spa as they paid a taxi fare.

Powers need to be strengthened

Their friend, Lee Baker, then 21, also of Leamington Spa, was hurt in the incident as Allott's pick-up truck mounted the pavement.

Assistant chief constable of Warwickshire police, Derek Cake, said: "We do believe that through initiatives to improve the sharing of information, front line personnel in ours and other services will be in a far better position to identify significant events as they arise.

"We also believe that our powers in dealing with mentally disordered people on private property need to be strengthened and we will be supporting a change in the law through the Home Office consultation process on the Mental Health Act that is already under way."

A statement issued by the families of the dead men and Mr Baker said: "The lack of authority for emergency services when dealing with the safety of mentally disturbed people and the public is alarming.

"Power is needed for the police to act regardless of where the disturbed person happens to be at the time."