Pages

Sunday 29 June 2014

Back to Broadmoor !


Try looking for books about Broadmoor Hospital. There are not many that were written by people who WERE THERE in the early 1970's. The above is one of two written by Peter Thompson who knows quite a lot about the place As it Happens, because he was not only SENT there himself, he went on to become a very influential campaigner for the rights of the mentally ill.

Here's a very good article about this inspirational man ! 


Interested ? Read on !

 OK, so what has this guy got to do with Jimmy Savile I hear you ask. Well, I don't know just yet, I have NOT read the Broadmoor Report but, I do know that he had something to say about Alan Franey's 'early retirement' !



 http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/broadmoor-hospital-chief-executives-early-retirement-is-a-blow-156869405.html

'Tabloid newspaper' 'played a large part' ? Tell me more Sir ?

Strewth, I came across the following article a while ago but this is I think the first time I have mentioned it, especially given the fact that it refers to a allegations about a CHILD PAEDOPHILE RING operating at Broadmoor ! 


Thankfully no evidence of such activities were found !


 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/broadmoor-chief-resigns-1254020.html

 It seems trouble had been brewing at Broadmoor for some years prior to Mr Franey's early retirement. On perusing the following from 1994 one name shot out at me that of Harry Field !


 Harry Field said: 'As you can see, it's a very gothic place. Patients experience fear approaching it. They have all seen The Silence of the Lambs. But it's not like that: no chains hanging against the wall and no padded rooms.'


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/broadmoor-is-coming-to-the-boil-staff-are-seething--not-the-patients-cal-mccrystal-on-anger-at-a-new-more-open-regime-1369160.html

I knew I'd seen Harry Field's name mentioned somewhere this week. Oh yes, it was here ! 



Strewth things get worse but not for Jimmy ! The interview with Field develops into some heavy gossip about his old boss !


The above is from P57 of 139 pages of the Broadmoor Report 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/323458/Broadmoor_report.pdf

I mentioned Peter Thompson at the start of my post because I hoped that he might have been able to provide some input into Ms Lampards Broadmoor 'investigations' ! Unfortunately the man died in 2003 but his writings remain as some of the very FEW written by the inmates (prisoners/patients) themselves.

I'll be taking a closer look at the Ms Lampards findings over the next few posts. In the meantime, scroll down to P86 if you will because here you will find details of WHOM her team bothered to speak to.


Just 8 ex patients were spoken to ! Thank goodness for folk like the late Mr Thompson who did his best and spoke up for those who could not ! 



http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199798/ldhansrd/vo980409/text/80409-04.htm

 



5 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I deleted your libelous comment. Don't bother posting any more. They WILL be removed !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hasta la vista.
      Back from Broadmoor may never have been moor apposite....
      Baby............. ;-D

      Franey arranged for the Sunday Mirror to be sued. The former inmate won his Libel case against the Sunday Mirror. he was funded via Franey's management. The Mirror lawyers argued that since he was from Brioadmoor he was not entitled to Damages since he had "no reputation to lose".

      You can see the sort of delightful human beings they were at the Mirror. One of their ex-editors has been talking the Savile talk a lot. Not sure if it's the same guy from that time though, but I doubt there's much difference.

      The only time I can see where Jimmy Savile actually sued a newspaper was also over Broadmoor, when The Sun (I think) said he was letting the loonies out early.... He won substantial damages, which he gave to Stoke Mandevile.

      Yes, you really can rely on journalists and lawyers to be utterly scummy people, who are mostly just pursuing a long, long vendetta that they could only win when the elephant was dead - like hyenas eating their way up a dead jumbo's arse.

      Delete
  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Discovered an interesting background as to why Peter Thompson was sent to Broadmoor in the first place, in a brief review piece for a copy of his book. It was published by Mowbrays - the religious books imprint that published "God'll Fix It"

    A sequel to the author's first book 'Bound for Broadmoor'. Following a knife attack on 3 au pair girls, the author was sent to Broadmoor to be detained under Section 60 of the 1959 Health Act. Four years later, and after a fight with the authorities for his freedom, he was released by a Mental Health Review Tribunal. When the gates closed behind him, his problems started. He went to Broadmoor a married man with children, an executive in industry, and having been a leading penal reformer with Lord Longford, as well as a much televised personality. He left Broadmoor penniless, without a family, very few friends, no home or job and with a reputation of being a dangerous man. Many said he would not make it. Freedom for Peter Thompson meant loneliness, fear and isolation. But his horror of violent films and concern for the mentally ill led him to major national debates and campaigns. Now after 5yrs of freedom, he recreates some of the battles which faced him on his release from Broadmoor.

    ReplyDelete