News


downsmail.co.uk Hospital silent over violence


APRIVATEmental hospital inMaidstonewhich treats criminals has refused to disclose details of violent incidents on itswards, at the end of amulti-agency investigation.


Patient-on-patient assaults oc-


curred in April in the male psy- chiatric intensive care unit (PICU) of the CygnetHospital,which the NHS clinical commissioning group (CCG) described as “dis- proportionate”. An inquiry was launched after


“safeguarding alerts” at the 65- bed facility. Cygnet has now agreed to an action plan, but has refused to disclosewhat that plan entails. The private hospital declined


without explanation our request for the number and nature of the assaults. The CCG report stated at the


time: “The (Cygnet) service opened on October 8. “In April, a disproportionate


number of safeguarding alerts were raised for the male PICU ward for patient-on-patient as- saults. “The concerns have now esca-


lated to a multi-agency (inquiry) …led by (the) local authority.” It adds Cygnet will be required


to submit an action plan to address the findings of the investigation.


Patrol car is in


M20 collision TWOpolice officers responding to a 999 emergency call were in- volved in a collision with another car on theM20. The officers suffered minor in-


juries after the collision and part of theM20 was closed for five hours between junction 9 for Ashford and junction 8 for Leeds/Maid- stone services. The incident involved a police


vehicle and a car. Two men were subsequently arrestedonsuspicion of driving and drug offences. A spokesman for Kent Police


said: “Officers were involved in a collision with another car while travelling on the London-bound carriageway of the M20 between Junctions 9 and8 at around1.30am onWednesday, July 10. “Two officers reportedminor in-


juries and were taken to hospital. Two men were arrested on suspi- cion of driving and drugs offences and currently remain in custody. “The road was closed while ve-


hicles were recovered and en- quirieswere carried out.”


10 Maidstone August 2019 Aspokesman forCygnetHealth


Care said: “We have beenworking closely with the West Kent CCG and local authority representa- tives, and have now completed the agreed action plan to the satis- faction of all parties. “West Kent CCG continues to


provide safeguarding support in monthly meetings that include Cygnet safeguarding leads and hospital manager, local authority representatives and the CCG.” A spokesman for the hospital’s


PR company declined our invita- tion to meet the Cygnet manage- ment to discuss how it would tackle the issue of violence in the unit. The hospital opened last Octo-


ber on the Kent Medical Campus near J8 of theM20. Its patients are often seen smoking cigarettes on the pavements outside the hospi- tal’s perimeter fences. Areporterwhowas in the vicin-


ity heard shouting and swearing coming from an open upstairs


Pervertwas in disguise


A SEX offenderwho disguised him- self as an elderly woman to ap- proach and sexually assault people, including school children, in Maidstone and Chatham has been jailed for three years. Pervert Paul Reed (56) was


dressed in women’s clothes when he approached three victims be- tween late 2017 and early 2019, despite being the subject of a Sex- ual HarmPrevention Order. The court heard in December


2017 Reed, who had his face par- tially covered, approached a girl in school uniform at a bus stop in Maidstone town centre. After en- gaging in a conversation with her, he inappropriately touched the victim before she ran to a nearby shop for help. The next offence took place at


around 1pm on Sunday, Decem- ber 30 2018 and sawReed sit next to awomanwhowaswaiting for a bus in Sorrell Road, Chatham. He was wearing a scarf that partially concealed his face and com- plained to her that it was cold. He then inappropriately touched her


as she waited for the bus. The last offence took place in


March 2019. Again Reed was dressed as a woman when he ap- proached a victim in Chatham High Street. He chatted to her and inappropriately touched her while wrapping a scarf around her. Reed admitted three sexual as-


saults against three victims, and eight breaches of a sexual harm prevention order. He was sen- tenced atMaidstone Crown Court on July 1. He was also banned fromcover- ing his face in a public place.


windowon July 4. The hospital, which treats peo-


ple referred to it by the criminal justice system, will overlook two proposed new schools – a special needs school and a primary – to be run by the Leigh Academies’ Trust business. Paula Wilkins, chief nurse for


West Kent CCG, said: “The action plan for Cygnet is now complete and there are no outstanding ac- tions to bemonitored. “Ongoing safeguarding support


will be provided inmonthlymeet- ings that include Cygnet safe- guarding leads and hospital manager, local authority repre- sentatives and the CCG. “This was an established sup-


port arrangement prior to the level 4 enquiry, and will continue going forward.” Local Boxley parish councillor


Wendy Hinder said: “These schools should not be going onto this site.Remember, itwould only take one incident. “Maybe people will stop and


listen to what we have been say- ing.”


Arrest after theft report


A MAN has been arrested after officers and a police dog re- sponded to a vehicle theft. At 11.10pm on Saturday, April


6 2019, Kent Police received a re- port that a Range Rover had been stolen from a car park off Her- mitage Lane in Barming. Officers searched the area and a


short time later it was found parked and unattended on Far- leigh Hill in Tovil. Following enquiries into a sus-


picious vehicle seen in the area, a Hyundai i30was tracked down to River Close in East Farleigh. No- body was with the car and when examined, and it was found to have been stolen from Essex and had false number plates. A police dog searched the area


and found a key to the Hyundai in a flower bed. A42-year-oldman fromDagen-


ham, Essex, was spotted in a nearby garden and was arrested on suspicion of theft.Hewas later released pending further investi- gation.


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