Convicted killer Stone loses medical report case

LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) Convicted killer Michael Stone lost a High Court fight today to stop publication of a detailed report into the medical treatment he received before he carried out his high-profile murders of Lin Russell and her daughter in 1996.

Lawyers for Stone had argued the report should stay secret because of the ''treatment it will receive by the tabloid press''.

But Mr Justice Davis rejected the 45-year-old's challenge to publication.

''The public interest requires publication of the report in full,'' he said.

Stone was given three life sentences for using a hammer to murder Russell, 45, and her six-year-old daughter Megan and also attempting to kill her other daughter Josie, then aged 9, in Kent 10 years ago.

Josie survived despite being repeatedly smashed over the head.

The judge said the decision to publish was ''justified and proportionate'' and did not breach Stone's human rights.

Nor, he said, did it constitute a breach of the Data Protection Act.

An independent inquiry, commissioned by Kent Social Services, West Kent Health Authority and Kent Probation Service, had examined Stone's treatment by mental health, probation and social services prior to the murders.

Stone's lawyer Richard Clayton said his client had co-operated fully with the inquiry, and hoped for ''lessons to be learnt'' from it by health professionals and regulatory bodies.

But, although his client was happy for a report to be published setting out the inquiry's conclusions, he wanted to prevent the publication of intimate medical information.

However, Kent and Medway Strategic Health Authority, Kent County Council and Kent Probation Board all argued in favour of publishing the full report.

They were backed by Josie Russell and her father Shaun, who hoped full publication could help prevent similar crimes in the future.

REUTERS SHB VV1640