Mentally ill patient died of 'multiple injuries' after Mile End Hospital attack

THE mentally ill patient found dead at Mile End Hospital had suffered severe head, chest and stomach injuries, it has emerged.

Police launched a murder investigation this week after Prodip Debnath, 31 was discovered dead in the secure mental health unit at the hospital in Bancroft Road on Friday night.

He is believed to have been attacked by an inpatient at the Tower Hamlets Centre for Mental Health.

And the Met Police's Homicide & Serious Crime Command unit which is investigating has confirmed that no weapon was used.

Mr Debnath was taken to the nearby Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel on Friday night where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

A post-mortem examination carried out at Poplar Mortuary on Tuesday gave the cause of death as multiple head, chest and abdominal injuries.

The mental health centre, which is run by the East London Foundation Trust, offers care to around 110 mentally ill young and elderly patients from across the borough and has 24 beds for patients from Newham and Hackney.

Bosses say they had launched an internal investigation in line with the trust's Serious Incident policy.

The Advertiser reported last week that the trust was planning to make �9m of cuts which would see the number of front-line nursing staff slashed at the centre.

But a trust spokeswoman confirmed this week that there had been no cuts to the unit's 570 members of staff.

She added: "We offer our sincere condolences to the family of the deceased patient and others affected by this incident."

A 20-year-old man has been arrested in connection with Mr Debnath's death.

He has been bailed into secure hospital accommodation pending further police inquiries.

An incident room has opened under DCI Phil Rickells as officers continue with their enquiries.