Ashworth clean-up

Illegal drugs still circulate among the wards of a top- security hospital at the centre of allegations of drug abuse and paedophilia, an inquiry was told yesterday.

But a patient, referred to only as Patient B, at Ashworth hospital on Merseyside, said drugs were no longer the hard currency of gangs. He told the Fallon inquiry that much tighter security at the hospital, which houses the Moors murderer Ian Brady, had eradicated pornography.

He added: "I don't think it is a better place for it. Treatment programmes now take second place to security."

The inquiry was set up by the former health secretary, Stephen Dorrell, following allegations of drugs and alcohol abuse, financial irregularities, paedophilia and the availability of pornography.