EDP: Why was a sex offender placed on a mixed gender ward at mental health unit?

Kieran Lynch of the EDP reports:

Miss Payne claimed in December 2011 that she had been raped by a fellow patient, but two months later was informed that police would not press charges. She was found dead the following day, an inquest in Norwich heard.

At Wednesday’s hearing, Dr Bohdan Solomka, who was Miss Payne’s clinician, said he was aware the accused patient had a history of sexual offences.

He said: “I didn’t make the decision, but due to difficult circumstances the only place that seemed available for him was Meadowlands.

“I had concerns over Kylie and the man associating with each other before the alleged incident, but if it came out in public that the man was a sex offender this would have led to him being attacked inside the facility. It was a very delicate situation to manage.

“Ideally it shouldn’t have happened and it highlighted problems with mixed gender wards.”

The inquest heard that Miss Payne had on November 10 2011 written a note about her wish to leave the facility.

She wrote: “I am not safe here. He is coming to get me. Why won’t he leave me alone? He is scary, I have to leave.”

Who would allow a repeat sex offender on the same ward as a vulnerable woman?

Since Miss Payne’s death, Dr Bohdan Solomka has been promoted to Medical Director of Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT).

Click on the image below to read the full story on the EDP website:

EDP Why was a sex offender placed on a mixed gender ward at mental health unit

3 thoughts on “EDP: Why was a sex offender placed on a mixed gender ward at mental health unit?”

  1. I used to work there. It always seemed like the risk sex offenders posed was tested out first on female staff then by moving them to a mixed ward. It happened in high secure hospitals too. Saw female staff stalked and female patients not protected, even in simple ways like no separate laundry area so underwear being stolen. Degrading.

  2. THIS HOSPITAL IS MENT TO KEEP PAITINS SAFE NOT PUT THEM IN DANGER OF A VILE SEX OFFER! if they done there job how they are ment to this young girl would still be with us to this day!…but they didnt they put a known sex offender on the ward of vulnerable women its sickening!…HE DIDN’T ONLY RAPE HER HE WOULDN’T LEAVE HER ALONE MADE HER FEEL UNSAFE IN A PLACE SHES MENT TO FEEL SAFE! Im glad the hospital is now shut down it should of been shut a long time ago they have admitted they was not doing there job how they are ment to they failed to keep her safe and well of they had done the observed they were ment to and put her tp the grown floor this young girl would still be here my heart gose out to her mother and other family and im verry sorry for your loss I hope you sue them for all they have because they are on the wrong and didnt keep her safe it is on there behalf your daughter is not here today

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