THE GOVERNMENT was today urged to review supervision of released mental patients in the wake of a damning report into what happened before nightclub bouncer Daniel Holden brutally killed his neighbour.

Holden battered David Spencer to death in Darwen eight months after he was released from Whittingham Hospital's Langdale medium secure unit.

The report published yesterday said it seemed one of the reasons he had been freed was because hospital staff found him "large and threatening."

East Lancashire health chiefs said an action plan was being drawn up to ensure no repeat of the tragedy but Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of mental health group SANE said: "Yet again our mental health services have failed us. It is astounding that such a tragedy could have happened.

"We urge the Government to review the working of supervision orders and the systems of care for people presenting a danger to themselves or others."

Holden, 35, of Clarence Street, Darwen, was on a supervision order when he killed David Spencer following a row over a leather coat.

Les Howell, chief executive of the Guild Community NHS Trust which runs the Langdale unit, has been suspended from his job and a psychiatric nurse has also been disciplined for his role in the care of Holden.

Chairman of East Lancashire Health Authority Bill Ashworth said: "We have deliberated long and hard before deciding to publish the full findings of this inquiry. "This maybe painful for the families and health workers involved but the public has a right to know what has happened and there will be no cover up."

David Spencer was kicked and punched 140 times and Holden started a fire in the dead man's flat in a bid to cover his tracks.

Holden was sentenced to life imprisonment at Liverpool Crown Court. He and his family have always claimed someone else carried out the killing.

The independent inquiry report commissioned by East Lancashire Health Authority revealed Holden was known to have psychotic tendencies and problems with drugs and alcohol.

Although he was on the supervision register Holden had not seen anyone from social services for more than five months.

The report also describes Holden's 12 day stay at Whittingham Hospital as one of the shortest on record adding: "While the explanation given for his discharge is that he was no longer mentally ill, it seems likely that part of the reason he was discharged so precipitately was because he was large and threatening."

The report concludes that such an "angry and potentially dangerous" man should not have been allowed back into the community.

And it adds: "It must however be stressed that no disaster ensued in the short term. In our view this was more down to good fortune rather than good judgement."

Les Howell, the suspended Chief Executive of the Guild Trust, is criticised in the findings for failing to acknowledge the role of other health authorities. An internal inquiry is taking place at Whittingham but Mr Ashworth refused to give details of that investigation. Finlay Robertson, acting chief executive of the Guild Trust, said: "The delivery of care at the Langdale Unit was not all it should have been.

"But we have to recognise things have changed in the two years since the tragedy and we have done a lot to improve the quality of care."

Holden's mother Jean Stephenson said: "I have not had time to read the report properly and do not want to comment on it.

"Daniel is totally innocent, I have always supported him fully and will continue to fight to clear his name."

The Holden Inquiry is the second major investigation into the Langdale Unit in the last two years. A report was ordered after a couple who met and married at the hospital went on a trail of terror.

Douglas Byelong, from Bacup, and his wife Julie absconded from the unit and travelled to Hampshire. Douglas Byelong was later convicted for attempted murder and the abduction of a young boy.

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