NORTH Yorkshire health chiefs are proposing to form a task force to deal with the needs of potentially dangerous people with learning disabilities.

They are responding to the recommendations of an independent review team which investigated the type of placements being accepted by York care home, The Cusicks, in Wentworth Road, South Bank.

The investigation came in the wake of revelations that a resident known as Tom had been living in the home's secure annexe for a year because no psychiatric hospital would take him in.

Rose Cusick, who runs the home with her husband John, revealed that Tom had attempted to rape her and claimed he would almost certainly attempt to harm someone else if she released him into the community. A hospital place was eventually found for him.

The proposal, being made by North Yorkshire Health Authority, backed by the chief executives of all the primary care groups in North Yorkshire, is for the development of two forensic learning disabilities teams for the north and south of the county.

Rose Cusick said she understood the teams would deal with people with learning disabilities who had also exhibited criminal behaviour.

And while she welcomed its formation she warned that help for people with learning disabilities was needed before they started offending.

She said: "There are a lot of people with learning disabilities in prisons who shouldn't be there, but this proposal is like shutting the gate after the horse has bolted - they need care before they get into prison.

"People with learning disabilities are living in the community in bed-sits and flats and ending up unable to cope. Assessments should be made from childhood so that people with a mental age of nine or ten are not left to fend for themselves."

Mrs Cusick said such a service could prevent tragedies like the death of York teenager Kirk Edwards, 17, who was found hanging in his cell at Wetherby Young Offenders' Institution. Kirk, who had learning difficulties, had been sentenced two days earlier by Selby Youth Court for a series of offences.

Mrs Cusick said: "It could identify these people at the court stage and prevent them from ending up in prison."