COMMON sense has finally prevailed with the decision to send hunger striker Barry Horne back to prison.

Today he is back in Full Sutton prison where he is serving 18 years for firebombing.

For 18 days the animal rights activist has taken up a much-needed bed at York District Hospital. In those 18 days, supporters of Horne's cause have mounted an ongoing protest outside the hospital which has put staff under pressure and disrupted hospital procedure.

Yet he has consistently refused both food and medical treatment so what was the point of keeping him in hospital?

Only yesterday we revealed the results of an Evening Press phone poll showing an overwhelming vote against keeping the hunger striker in an NHS bed any longer.

Today doctors and managers at York Health Trust said they had decided on the transfer on the grounds that Horne had refused treatment at the hospital and he could be equally well cared for at Full Sutton's medical centre.

The hospital authorities had also to take into consideration their responsibility to provide a 'safe and peaceful' environment for the 2,000 staff, 600 in-patients and hundreds of outpatients and visitors.

But what a pity Mr Horne's return to Full Sutton came too late to prevent the postponement of an opening ceremony for the Cancer Care Centre.

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