Security reviewed at secure unit

There will be a review of security at a psychiatric hospital following the recapture of two patients who were on the run for 24 hours.

Jason Lord, 23, from Devon, and 35-year-old Terry Powell, from Cornwall, absconded from Langdon Hospital in Dawlish on Tuesday night.

Police said the men were arrested 90 miles away in Newlyn, Cornwall.

Devon Partnership Trust, which runs the county's mental health services, said security was of "paramount importance".

Lord, a paranoid schizophrenic who tried to stab a police officer, had been detained indefinitely last year under the Mental Health Act.

Both are being held in custody by Devon and Cornwall police.

Samurai sword

Lord's attack on Pc John Croft in a custody suite at Exeter's Heavitree Road police station was caught on CCTV.

He was seen pulling a knife from the waistband of his trousers during a search before Pc Croft grabbed his hand and two colleagues disarmed him.

At Exeter Crown Court in August 2007 he was made the subject of a section 37 order under the Mental Health Act with a section 41 order, detaining him without limit.

In court, Judge Graham Cottle described Lord's attack as "potentially murderous".

Lord, who has a history of drug abuse, had been arrested after he was knocked down during a cycle race in Paignton and police officers who went to his aid found a samurai sword.

Langdon Hospital is a medium secure unit which is run by Devon Partnership NHS Trust.

It said it will be reviewing procedures in the wake of this incident.

Jim Masters, the Director of Forensic Services, said they are in the middle of upgrading security at the unit to make it even tighter.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Devon and Cornwall Police
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites