Peter Sutcliffe going to normal prison

Jenny, how do you know your relative and close friend are not pretending to be mentally ill? And if their illnesses caused them to fo harm would you demand they hang?

Anniebach You have a good point, but my friend tried to commit suicide, thankfully she was found in time, and has vowed that the treatment she received hospital (absolutely no smpathy from nursing staff) & later in a hospital for mentally ill has made her determined to keep to the medication she was perscribed even though it in its self makes her feel ill, as for the relative, she had suffered since her teens she has a physical disability as well I don't believe either of them would lie about their health problems, I think if either of them thought their problems had caused them to commit such horrific crimes as Sutcliffe they would want to die.

I don't know if this man will have a better or a worse time in a "normal" prison than in Broadmoor. I would hate to think that he will be put in a wing with other special category prisoners and lauded as a hero, which could well happen.

There are so many different variants of psychotic illness and very few of them could possibly lead to an individual actually harming another person. I too have always understood that typically they are incurable, being "personality disorders" rather than a curable illness. Whilst there are many modern drugs that control the problems there are certainly not "cures".

I have a daughter with this type of problem - she cannot deal with any kind of stress, has little confidence, always thinks other people are talking about her and sometimes imagines things are happening; recently she rang, very excited, and told me that there were armed police in the yard behind her block of flats. I checked with a neighbour and found that this was all in her imagination. She is no threat to anyone, probably not even to herself.

Jenny, if their mental illnesses drive them to harm others this is not a choice, sucicide is not a calm, logical choice . I can understand you know they wouldn't lie but do you know Sutcliffe lied?

Depression is hell, schizophrenia is hell, they are not life style choices Jenny as you know , a person with schizophrenia is no different to anyone born with a physical illness or disability

Anniebach It looks as if we are going to have to agree to differ with regard to Sutcliffe. My relatives problem is schizophrenia, and I know how she has suffered over the years, I just consider myself to be lucky enough to have no such problems and wish everyone could be the same, I can't help but feel extremely sorry for his victims families though and what they must be going through with the renewed publicity over his move.

Jalima, in the early 1990s I nursed a categoryA IRA bomber he was on hunger strike and we weren't allowed to force feed him, he did concede to being rehydrated though. It wa a nightmare, despite being handcuffed to the bed by wrist and both ankles he had two prison guards with him at all time, an armed policeman outside the door of his side room, and another armed policeman at the ward entrance who frisked everyone who entered including doctors and nursing staff. We were glad to see him discharged back to prison.

Jenny,mix too feel great sympathy for the victims and their families

Ana - you are correct about force feeding - it can be carried out in a Mental Institution but not in Prison - I'm sorry for sounding harsh but if he wants to starve himself that's his choice. His reluctance in being returned to ordinary Prison is he is going to lose all the "cushy" life he's become used to.

He will no doubt be a target for attacks as many of his fellow prisoners are "lifers" who have nothing to lose

He has told you he has a cushy life Leggs55?