A MENTALLY ill teenager who is in jail because no bed can be found in a secure hospital unit may soon see an end to his ordeal.

Neil Anthony Green's solicitor Dermot Woodhead, told Burnley Magistrates the defendant was due to see a psychiatrist at Lancaster Farms next Tuesday and the outcome may well be that he would not be at the young offenders' institution much longer.

Neil Green, 19, has spent three weeks in jail at Lancaster Farms young offenders institution after hospital bosses said he was too dangerous for the psychiatric ward at Burnley General Hospital.

He was a sectioned patient under the Mental Health Act in a psychiatric ward at Burnley General Hospital when he damaged a wardrobe door last month.

He was arrested and taken to the police station and charged with causing criminal damage.

The next day he was discharged from hospital. He appeared at Burnley magistrates court, pleaded guilty and was sent to Lancaster Farms pending completion of a psychiatric assessment and a hospital bed being made available.

Three times he has appeared in court and been returned to Lancaster Farms.

Frank Clifford, chairman of the health watchdog Community Health Council, said the case highlighted a lack of secure hospital accommodation for people with problems like Neil.

Trust chief executive David Chew, said patients who were so disruptive needed particular health care needs, which could not be delivered in Burnley.

He said local units were simply not geared up to dealing with that level of disruption and they were still trying to find appropriate accommodation for Neil. There was a national shortage of secure beds for patients with needs very similar to Neil Green's.

Green, of no fixed address, was remanded in custody until September 13 for reports. He had earlier been convicted of aggravated taking of a vehicle, driving with excess alcohol, not having a licence, no insurance and damage.

He has written to his mother, Susan, of Hollins Road, Nelson, saying he could not stand it any longer at Lancaster Farms and she fears he may kill himself.

She and her husband, Stephen, have made a formal complaint to the Community Health Council and intend to sue the Health Trust.

After yesterday's court hearing, Mrs Green said: "It still all depends of them finding a suitable bed outside of the prison system.

"In the meantime, he is still languishing in the prison system and I am getting more and more worried. he is not getting the specialised treatment he needs. He is mentally ill and getting into more trouble while he is in there."