By Matthew Champion.
The NHS has apologised to the families of two men killed by a schizophrenic cannibal after reports exposed 'shortcomings' in allowing him to return to society.
Peter Bryan killed twice after being let out of a secure unit in 2002 as a care in the community outpatient.
NHS London, which oversees health services in the capital, said Bryan's unique mental illness 'enabled him to appear as though he was acting in a normal manner while being seriously unwell'.
The 39-year-old from east London, described by one psychiatrist as 'probably the most dangerous man he had ever assessed', was sent to Rampton in Nottinghamshire in 2002 for the murder of 20-year-old shop assistant Nisha Sheth in 1993.
In 2002 he was allowed to return to the outside world as an outpatient with his own flat and front door key. But after an allegation of sexual assault he killed his friend Brian Cherry, later frying and eating parts of the 45-year-old's brain when he dismembered his body.
Weeks after being sent to Broadmoor secure psychiatric hospital he attacked and killed fellow patient Richard Loudwell, 59.
Bryan later pleaded guilty to killing both men on grounds of diminished responsibility.
Two reports from NHS London into the care and treatment afforded him by east London NHS foundation trust and west London mental health trust exposed a catalogue of errors.
The first report into the death of Mr Cherry criticised inexperienced staff being given the responsibility of handling patients such as Bryan. But it adds the caveat that the horrific events that followed his release 'could not have been predicted'.
A second report criticised a lack of supervision given to both Bryan and Mr Loudwell at the time of the latter's death.
Professor Trish Morris-Thompson, chief nurse at NHS London, said: 'These reports were commissioned in 2005 and investigated two tragic separate incidents by the same person. Following their publication we accept that there were shortcomings in the care and treatment of [Bryan] and [Mr Loudwell] and apologise to the families of those involved for the distress that this has caused.
'East London NHS foundation trust has agreed a joint action plan with Newham primary care trust and its local authority.
'This will be followed up and overseen by Newham PCT and Monitor. In addition west London mental health NHS trust has also produced an action plan which we will need to approve and subsequently monitor. However, it must be said due to the long and time-consuming inquiry process a substantial amount of work has already taken place.'
The NHS has apologised to the families of two men killed by a schizophrenic cannibal after reports exposed 'shortcomings' in allowing him to return to society.
Peter Bryan killed twice after being let out of a secure unit in 2002 as a care in the community outpatient.
NHS London, which oversees health services in the capital, said Bryan's unique mental illness 'enabled him to appear as though he was acting in a normal manner while being seriously unwell'.
The 39-year-old from east London, described by one psychiatrist as 'probably the most dangerous man he had ever assessed', was sent to Rampton in Nottinghamshire in 2002 for the murder of 20-year-old shop assistant Nisha Sheth in 1993.
In 2002 he was allowed to return to the outside world as an outpatient with his own flat and front door key. But after an allegation of sexual assault he killed his friend Brian Cherry, later frying and eating parts of the 45-year-old's brain when he dismembered his body.
Weeks after being sent to Broadmoor secure psychiatric hospital he attacked and killed fellow patient Richard Loudwell, 59.
Bryan later pleaded guilty to killing both men on grounds of diminished responsibility.
Two reports from NHS London into the care and treatment afforded him by east London NHS foundation trust and west London mental health trust exposed a catalogue of errors.
The first report into the death of Mr Cherry criticised inexperienced staff being given the responsibility of handling patients such as Bryan. But it adds the caveat that the horrific events that followed his release 'could not have been predicted'.
A second report criticised a lack of supervision given to both Bryan and Mr Loudwell at the time of the latter's death.
Professor Trish Morris-Thompson, chief nurse at NHS London, said: 'These reports were commissioned in 2005 and investigated two tragic separate incidents by the same person. Following their publication we accept that there were shortcomings in the care and treatment of [Bryan] and [Mr Loudwell] and apologise to the families of those involved for the distress that this has caused.
'East London NHS foundation trust has agreed a joint action plan with Newham primary care trust and its local authority.
'This will be followed up and overseen by Newham PCT and Monitor. In addition west London mental health NHS trust has also produced an action plan which we will need to approve and subsequently monitor. However, it must be said due to the long and time-consuming inquiry process a substantial amount of work has already taken place.'
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