High Court orders release of  woman who poses 'imminent' risk to others

'Traumatised' young woman must be released from a secure care unit  

In her ruling, the judge said this case was “probably the most disturbing” she had had to decide in her 13 years as a High Court judge. Picture: iStock

A traumatised and dangerous young woman must be released from a secure care unit despite the “imminent” risk she poses to the lives of her mother and other women. The move comes after the president of the High Court ruled there is no legal basis for the young woman’s continued detention.

There is “simply no legal right or entitlement” to detain the 18-year-old woman so as to protect those to whom she poses a serious risk because of her threats to kill and maim them, Ms Justice Mary Irvine said.