Life for killer who ate brain of victim

A mental health patient who ate the brain of one of two people he killed was jailed for life yesterday.

A mental health patient who ate the brain of one of two people he killed was jailed for life yesterday.

The case of Peter Bryan, 35, caused widespread criticism of the mental health services after it was revealed that he had been released from a secure hospital where he was placed after he beat a woman to death.

An independent inquiry into the case has been set up by the mental health trust that was supposed to be looking after Bryan at the time of the second killing. A third victim - a man, aged 59 - was killed at Broadmoor high security special hospital while Bryan was on remand awaiting trial.

The Old Bailey heard yesterday that the defendant, who pleaded guilty to two charges of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, had developed an urge to eat human flesh.

Sentencing him to two life sentences, Judge Giles Forrester told Bryan he would never be released because he was too dangerous.