Lousia Ovington independent investigation report ... - NHS North East

CHAPTER 1 - NARRATIVE OF KEY DATES AND EVENTS
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36. Consultant 5’s opinion as expressed in his report for the Court dated 16 July 1998
was that Louisa Ovington was suffering intermittently from psychotic symptoms and
that she was experiencing episodes of over-activity, aggression and distress punctuated
by brief periods during which she was more controlled and communicative. He
concluded that she suffered from both a mental illness and “to an extent” from a
psychopathic personality disorder. He thought that the mental illness element was
“quite strongly prevalent” at the time of her offending.
37. Consultant 5 recommended that the court dispose of the case by making an
order under section 37 21 of the Mental Health Act to allow Louisa Ovington to be
treated in a systematic way. He said that in the first instance a bed was available for
Louisa Ovington at the Tony White Unit but that she might later require transfer into
a different level of security because of the seriousness of the problems that she posed
for nursing care (which later proved to be the case).
38. Consultant 7, a Locum Consultant Psychiatrist was asked to give the necessary
second opinion as to whether a Section 37 Hospital Order would be appropriate and
he therefore assessed Louisa Ovington at the Tony White Unit on 13 July 1998. He
commented at some length on her extensive use of street drugs and said that he
thought that when she committed the “index offence” 22 (the stabbing of the police
officer, presumably regarded as the most serious of the cluster of offences with
which she was charged) she was in an altered state of consciousness through the use
of LSD, crack cocaine and magic mushrooms. He concluded that Louisa Ovington
was suffering from a mental illness, describing the symptoms (for example, thought
disorder, hallucinations, mood swings) and noting that at one point he thought she
was going to attack him. He said she was “desperately in need of further treatment”
and that due to her aggression this needed to be in conditions of medium security. He
supported the recommendation that the court impose a Section 37 order.
39. On 17 July 1998 Peterlee Magistrates Court placed Louisa Ovington under Section
37 of the Mental Health Act in relation to the offences committed between 21 May
1998 and 20 July 1998. 23
40. On 3 August 1998 Sedgefield Magistrates Court did likewise in respect of the
offences committed in February 1998. 24
41. She later appealed her detention to the Hospital Managers. The detention was
upheld. There is no record of a Mental Health Review Tribunal. 25
42. While at the Tony White Unit Louisa Ovington had a full assessment of her
physical as well as her mental health and was afforded ongoing physical health
checks.
21 See Chapter 8
22 The main offence which led to the detention in hospital
23 2nd group of convictions
24 3rd group of convictions
25 See Chapter 8