THE FATHER of a Chepstow girl who was brutally raped by a killer mental patient yesterday described his anger over the attack.

Mentally-ill Darren Harkin, 21, who escaped from a Bristol psychiatric hospital, yesterday admitted the knifepoint rape of the 14-year-old girl in broad daylight in a Chepstow street.

Harkin was ordered to be locked up indefinitely yesterday, after pleading guilty to escape from lawful custody, burglary and two counts of rape, after a hearing at Reading Crown Court.

But in an exclusive interview yesterday, the victim's father told the Argus he was angry the authorities did not do more to prevent this attack.

He wants to know:

  • Why Harkin was in a low risk unit despite absconding three times in the past?
  • Why he was not moved when his behaviour got increasingly aggressive?
  • Why Harkin, who had a violent history, was allowed a collection of pornographic and horror DVDs?
  • Why no-one raised the alert until half an hour after Harkin absconded?
  • Why the unit claimed he was no risk to others, despite the fact female nurses were not allowed to be alone with him?
  • Why Gwent Police were not told Harkin was on the run?

Harkin, who suffers from autistic spectrum disorder and schizophrenia, was being kept at the low security Hayes Hospital near Bristol when he absconded - a unit run by the National Autistic Society(NAS).

He was first locked up at the age of 12, after repeatedly stabbing his six-month-old stepbrother to death in his cot.

The court also heard he began starting fires aged just seven, and had a complete inability to empathise with others.

While at The Hayes, Harkin was allowed to build up a vast collection of horror and pornographic DVDs and was even taken on day trips to the cinema by staff to watch horror films.

His collection included violent slasher films like the Saw movies and the victim's father understands he also watched the film Scream II at a young age.

Harkin's behaviour became increasingly disturbed in the month before his escape. He damaged property, punched walls, lunged at staff and asked a female staff member for sex.

Eventually he fled the hospital in February.

The court heard Harkin escaped while walking with a group to the kitchen for tea.

The member of staff escorting them did not press a personal alarm for fear of panicking the other residents.

Staff did not call police until half an hour after his escape, after searching the premises, and neighbouring forces were not told he had escaped.

Harkin went to a nearby empty house, cooked himself a pizza and made toast before stealing clothes and two knives.

The next morning, he dragged a schoolgirl from a Chepstow street at knifepoint and raped her.

In court yesterday, the Recorder of Cardiff, Judge Nicholas Cooke, voiced his concerns over the case.

These included why Harkin, who had a history of absconding, was moved to a low-security unit; why staff waited nearly half an hour before alerting police and why neighbouring police forces were not alerted.

He ordered that Harkin, whom he described as “exceptionally dangerous’’, be made the subject of a hospital order under the Mental Health Act without limit of time and be detained at maximum security Broadmoor Hospital. Monmouth MP David Davies yesterday added his concerns.

He said: "I am relieved to hear he (Harkin) is now going to be taken off the streets.

"This is a very dangerous man.

"I am sure the NAS is a good organisation, but I do not believe they are fit to deal with the kind of dangerous people who have committed murder or rape."

Harkin met Home Office criteria for transfer to a low-security hospital despite absconding three times from previous units.