Fagan decision held too severe

Press, 11 October 1982, Page 1

Fagan decision held too severe

By

DIANA DEKKER

in London

The family of the royal' bedroom intruder, Michael Fagan, want the world outside Britain to share their feeling that he should not be locked up in a top security mental hospital. . His sister, Marjorie Tomlin, aged 29, telephoned New Zealand Associated Press to say: “How do you prove a man is sane when you have four psychiatrists saying he isn’t? , "Michael got that sentence because he is an embarrassment in this country. "Normally in this country the. punishrnent fits the crime. Never in British his-

tory has it been known for a man to be put away like that for taking a car." Fagan, aged 32, was sentenced by Judge James Miskin in London last week to go to Liverpool’s Park Lane Mental Hospital, to be released only when doctors, think he is cured. The decision came after Fagan’s pipa of guilty to a charge of taking a car without consent The case was not connected with the earlier case surrounding Fagan’s entry to Buckingham Palace. Fagan’s mother and Mrs Tomlin have begun trying to muster support for him.

He is still in Brixton Prison. I saw him yesterday but they, would not tell me when he was going to Park Lane,” Mrs Tomlin said. “Park Lane is. for child molesters, rapists, and murderers. Michael has never hurt anyone in his life. “I take my little daughters into Brixton Prison dnd he is allowed to see them and cuddle them. If he is as bad as they say he is, why do they allow that?” A Broadmoor consultant, Dr Edgar Unwin, and a prison psychiatrist. Dr George Grant, both told the. Court during the, case that

Fagan should go to a secure hospital. Dr Unwin was asked by defence counsel, Mr Richard Slowe, if anyone in particular or the public at large would be in danger if Fagan, who has been in custody since being found in the Queen’s bedroom three months ago, was freed. Dr Unwin said: “I have heard enough to convince me that one person in particular would be in danger, but I am fully aware of delusional interests, so anyone could be in danger who became the object of his delusions.” The British Press has shown some sympathy for Fagan after the decision. The “Daily Star” crime

reporter,. Don Blankley, wrote a piece under the heading, “Monstrous decision," in which he said that to put Fagan in the hospital was “monstrous for him and frightening for his relatives." A letter to the “Mirror" from a reader says that. "Years ago his head would have rolled. That might have been more merciful than locking him up in a mental hospital against his will.” Park Lane staff have also queried the decision to send Fagan to the hospital. Dr Malcolm MacCulloch, head of the hospital, reportedly had to calm a barrage of furious protests at a meeting of staff which discussed the decision.

Afterwards, a senior prison officer told the “Daily Star" that the feeling had’ been. “What are they sending the poor sod here for? It’s outrageous.” He went on: “This is a place for the dangerous, the violent, the vicious. It is designed for madmen like the Yorkshire Ripper, not a pathetic, confused fool like this bloke." The cost of keeping Fagan at Park Lane is estimated at £470 ($1000) a week. •“That,” says the “Daily Express.” “Is cheaper than if he were staying in Park Lane, London. There, the three-meals-a-day bill at a hotel like the Hilton would be £750 ($1725) a week."