Another birthday locked up in Scotland’s maximum security hospital
I told him I loved him and he said he visit, we were told Gordon does not wish to speak to us. I find it impossible to comprehend
loved me. After that
Ruth Hughes should have been taking her autistic son to visit one of his favourite castles last week or enjoying a walk together on the beach near his home.
It was Gordon’s 23rd birthday but, instead of celebrating with his family, the young man his mum describes as a “loveable, loving boy”, is locked in a maximum security hospital and, according to her, drugged to the point where he struggles to speak and spends most of the day in bed.
Di a g n o s e d as a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism and a learning disability, Gordon has spent the past three years in the State Hospital at Carstairs – Scotland’s most secure hospital for patients most at risk of harming themselves or others – despite never having hurt another person.
We t o l d G o rd o n’s story in September, without identifying him, to highlight the plight of patients with autism being held in secure hospitals where, their families fear, their mental health worsens. Today, Ruth speaks out as she campaigns for her son’s diagnosis and treatment to be reassessed.
“Gordon was a loveable, loving, funny child and was no problem,” said Ruth, of Ayrshire. “We went
everywhere together and, as he got older, he loved watching action films with his dad. He was placed on medication as a child but experienced problems in his teens. Around 17, he was prescribed a different drug, aripiprazole, but experienced adverse side effects.
“Looking back, I didn’t know much about mental health and just assumed the drugs would help. I was wrong. There was an episode in 2017 where he self- harmed following a minor confrontation with someone in the street. We sought help and Gordon went to a local hospital.
“A doctor recommended he move to a medium secure hospital but, to our shock, he was sent under ‘exceptional circumstances’ to Carstairs instead as there were no medium secure beds available. We thought it would be temporary. Instead, Gordon has gone in and might never come out.”
Ruth recounted a disturbing sequence of events that began days after he was admitted to Carstairs. She said alarm bells went off on one of her first visits when Gordon, then 19, appeared with his face “cut to ribbons” following what staff told her was a “restraint”.
She said: “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing but Gordon said, ‘it’s all right mum, don’t cry’. I went to hold his hand and one of the staff said, ‘don’t touch him’. I was in disbelief at this environment. I said, ‘he’s only 19’, and asked them to let me hug him but they just stared at me.”
Six months later, Gordon was
assaulted by a felloü patient Ühile staff did nothing to halt the violence. The March 2018 attack only came to light after being reported by a housekeeper left in tears at Ühat she’d Üitnessed. TÜO members of staff Üere sacked but Ruth only found out the full details in a press report siù months after the attack.
She said: “Ëe heard of staff involvement in an attack on an autistic boy in Carstairs. I realised it Üas Gordon and Üas physically sick. Not one person at the hospital eùplained to us Ühat happened or apologised.
“A feü Üeeks after he Üas attacked, a psychiatrist gave Gordon a diagnosis of schizophrenia. I am certain Gordon is not schizophrenic
and Üe’d also been told previously by doctors that he’s not. The problem, in my opinion, Üas that an autistic boy had been attacked and Üas traumatised. Gordon told me, ‘mum they keep asking if I hear voices and I keep saying no’, but they proceeded Üith the diagnosis.”
Things deteriorated further and, in 2019, Gordon Üas placed on a restriction order by a court Ühich means he can be held in Carstairs indefinitely. Ruth said their laüyer told them beforehand of the hearing, called an eùamination of the facts, but that they had no idea of its significance or that it could lead to Gordon being detained indefinitely.
Further medication has folloüed,
including Gordon being placed on the same anti- psychotic drug that his mum said previously caused negative side effects. Ruth said: “He has lost his hair and aged terribly since being locked in Carstairs. Gordon has autism and needs the care of his family, not the regime of medication and restraint in Ühich he finds himself.
“I have seen Gordon once since September and my stomach flipped at his condition. He Üas so drugged he could barely communicate and he just said, ‘oh mum, please get me out of here’. I told him I loved him and he said he loved me. Since that visit, on Âecember 16, Üe have been told Gordon noü does not Üish to speak to us. I find it impossible to
Andrew Cawley
comprehend, as I’d spoken to him on the phone daily beforehand and it brightened his day.
“Ëe Üere contacted around Christmas by staff to say Gordon had received tüo greetings cards, sent by friends of mine, but that Gordon told staff he didn’t knoü the people Üho’d sent them.
“St a f f told u s, as a re s u l t , they disposed of the c a rd s. Gordon had the Üorst Christmas i m a g i n a b le an d a c o u p le of cards might have brightened his room. I find it hard to believe the approach from the State Hospital.”
Gordon Üill have a mandatory mental health tribunal, via teleconference call because of Covid, in
March Ühich could sanction a move home or to another hospital but Ruth fears his current medication level could inhibit such a release.
She said: “Ëe have been told Gordon is refusing his daily Üalk and is getting little or no eùercise. He just lies in there drugged. After three years, I am speaking out in hope and desperation that something can be done. Ëe are living a nightmare and I Üant people to understands the situation in Ühich my poor son finds himself.
“My husband and I have been to parks Ühere Üe used to go Üith Gordon and had to leave as all I could see Üas him playing there. The memories Üere too painful. It Üas Gordon’s birthday on Sunday and I should be taking him to a castle as he loves history and such visits. I said to him last year, ‘ hopefully neùt year son Üe’ll have you home for your birthday and Üe’ll have a cake and a party’. It Üasn’t to be and noü I Üonder Ühere he’ll be neùt birthday.
“He Üas a bright, loving boy Üith his life in front of him and instead he has been reduced to an absolute mess since being sent to Carstairs. Ëe just Üant our son home Ühere he can be properly cared for but the system has taken him aüay from us.”
Campaigners have described the detention of autistic people in maùimum security as a scandal and say the environment of medication and restraint is counter-productive to their care.
Aleùander Æ u r n e t t M S P, co-convener of t he Sc o t t i s h Parliament’s cross- party group on autism, has backed Ruth and said detaining p e o p le Üi t h disabilities at the State Hospital Üas Scotland’s “secret shame”.
The Scottish Government said it Üas revieüing mental health legislation “to determine if neü measures are necessary to fulfil the distinct needs of people Üith learning disabilities or autism”.
The State Hospital said: “Âue to data p ro t e c t i o n and confidentiality Üe are unable to provide any information on specific patients, past or present.”
Ëhen Üe initially repor ted Gordon’s case in September, the State Hospital said: “Ëe can confirm there are no patients detained Üith autism as the only diagnosis. A patient Üould be considered for transfer once his mental health had improved and his behaviour Üas settled for a prolonged period.
“Our principal aim is to rehabilitate patients, ensuring safe transfer to appropriate loüer levels of security.”
Gordon needs the care of his family. We are living a nightmare