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| Escaped killer unit 'must change' | Escaped killer unit 'must change' |
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| A mental health unit from which an autistic man absconded and raped a girl should no longer house high-risk patients, a report has recommended. | A mental health unit from which an autistic man absconded and raped a girl should no longer house high-risk patients, a report has recommended. |
| Darren Harkin, 21, raped his 14-year -old victim after leaving The Hayes at Pilning near Bristol, where he had been detained under the Mental Health Act. | Darren Harkin, 21, raped his 14-year -old victim after leaving The Hayes at Pilning near Bristol, where he had been detained under the Mental Health Act. |
| He had been at the unit for over a year after killing his baby stepbrother. | He had been at the unit for over a year after killing his baby stepbrother. |
| The National Autistic Society, which runs The Hayes, said it would act on all of the report's recommendations. | The National Autistic Society, which runs The Hayes, said it would act on all of the report's recommendations. |
| The independent study, led by Dr Ekkehart Staufenberg, called for some high-risk patients to leave the unit and suggested its safety procedures should be changed immediately. | The independent study, led by Dr Ekkehart Staufenberg, called for some high-risk patients to leave the unit and suggested its safety procedures should be changed immediately. |
| A more thorough assessment of Harkin, who is now in Broadmoor maximum security hospital, was also recommended. | A more thorough assessment of Harkin, who is now in Broadmoor maximum security hospital, was also recommended. |
| This was an absolutely terrible incident and it's one that we all deeply regret Mark Lever | This was an absolutely terrible incident and it's one that we all deeply regret Mark Lever |
| Harkin was first arrested in 2000 in the Hartcliffe area of Bristol, aged 12, after stabbing his six-month-old stepbrother to death. | Harkin was first arrested in 2000 in the Hartcliffe area of Bristol, aged 12, after stabbing his six-month-old stepbrother to death. |
| He was given a hospital order after pleading guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at Bristol Crown Court in April 2001. | He was given a hospital order after pleading guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at Bristol Crown Court in April 2001. |
| He spent just over a year at The Hayes, a low-security facility which treats patients with autism who have been detained under the Mental Health Act. | |
| Harkin dragged the schoolgirl off the street at knifepoint in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, in February. | Harkin dragged the schoolgirl off the street at knifepoint in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, in February. |
| In court, after the rape, it emerged that Harkin had a large collection of pornographic and horror films. | In court, after the rape, it emerged that Harkin had a large collection of pornographic and horror films. |
| Questions were raised about why staff at the hospital had waited 30 minutes before reporting him missing. | Questions were raised about why staff at the hospital had waited 30 minutes before reporting him missing. |
| Chief executive of the National Autistic Society Mark Lever told BBC News that the report's recommendations would be acted on. | Chief executive of the National Autistic Society Mark Lever told BBC News that the report's recommendations would be acted on. |
| "This was an absolutely terrible incident and it's one that we all deeply regret," he said. | "This was an absolutely terrible incident and it's one that we all deeply regret," he said. |
| "We accept all of the recommendations and I will be making sure we carry them out. Indeed we've started on them already." | "We accept all of the recommendations and I will be making sure we carry them out. Indeed we've started on them already." |