Head of the Forensic Ward at the St Ann's Hospital Dr Hazel-Ann Othello admitted yesterday that limited resources at the mental care institution curtailed its ability to properly monitor all the patients.Othello, in a sentencing review of schizophrenic Luke Roger Gloudon before Justice Anthony Carmona in the San Fernando First Criminal Court yesterday, also revealed patients would sneak marijuana into the institution.Othello was one of the doctors who had treated Gloudon who allegedly killed a fellow patient and raped another while receiving treatment at the institution.
Gloudon, 32, was remanded to St Ann's Hospital for treatment after he pleaded guilty to chopping to death his 72-year-old father. He was charged with murder, but had pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter on the ground of diminish responsibility due to his mental illness. However, Gloudon, who was also being treated for marijuana dependency, was transferred to the Golden Grove Prison in July.Othello said Gloudon was violent to other patients, particularly those who were vulnerable, and would threaten the staff.
She testified that Othello initially denied killing patient Andrew Bissoon but eventually admitted he stomped on his head.Asked by Jackson what measure was put in place to monitor Gloudon after he killed Bissoon, Othello said with limited resources nurses do their best to monitor the patients.Although nurses were placed at various parts of the ward, she said it was unlikely for them to have an eye on every patient.
She said there were about ten patients to every one nurse at the forensic ward which treated persons remanded by the courts for a psychiatric evaluation.On each shift she said there were about two to three nurses to monitor some 41 patients.In addition, she said, there was crisis shortage with regards to doctors at the institution.
Had her recommendations following Bissoon's death be implemented, Othello said it would have improved their ability to monitor patients. She said it may have even prevented the other patient from being sexually abused.Asked whether it was possible to get marijuana in St Ann's, she said: "Unfortunately at times."She said although the forensic ward was a locked ward "people find creative ways to slip things in."After learning that the security at the gate do not intervene in incidents at the hospital and there was no security on the ward, the judge questioned whether there was a system failure at St Ann's, saying there is a tendency in T&T to reactive rather than proactive.
Othello said she was satisfied that at prison Gloudon would be able to receive treatment and be exposed to various rehabilitative activities.In cross-examination, however, Othello revealed that last week Gloudon's mother told her he had not received his medication since he was transferred to the prison. She said the last time she saw Gloudon, four months ago, he was free of any acute symptoms of his illness. Othello was of the view his violent acts were not as a result of his mental illness but because of his underlying personality. She felt Gloudon was not ready to be reintegrated to society.
She recommended he remain in custody and his sentence be reviewed in a year. The matter was adjourned to November 24.
