Psychiatric prisons tend to give priority to treating patients rather than the safety of the population at large, the government’s chief inspector of sentencing said in his annual report.

‘Attention to safety can come in second place,’ Wouter Meurs said. ‘There is a tendency to let care issues weigh slightly heavier.’
The report, sent to parliament on Wednesday, comes at a time of increasing concern about violent crimes committed by psychiatric prisoners who either escape or are on day release. Meurs’ department was set up 18-months ago.