Criminal psychiatrist who works with the UK’s most dangerous prisoners shocks This Morning viewers with tale of arsonist who gouged his own eyes out during a psychotic episode
- Dr Das, from London, works as expert witness in criminal and civil court cases
- Talked about what life in prison really like with Andi Peters and Rochelle Humes
- Said once assessed man who took out own eyeballs during psychotic episode
A forensic psychiatrist working with some of the UK’s most dangerous criminals revealed he once assessed a man who took his own eyes out.
Dr Das, from London, was on This Morning today, where he told Andi Peters and Rochelle Humes about the intricacies of his job behind bars.
As a psychiatrist, he assesses inmates and is an expert witness in criminal and civil court cases.
Asked what the most shocking thing he’s seen in prison, Dr Das said he once assessed a man a few days after he took his own eyeballs out during a psychotic episode.
Viewers were shocked by the story, with some saying it was too graphic for morning TV.
Dr Das, from London, was on This Morning today, where he told Andi Peters and Rochelle Humes about the intricacies of his job behind bars
Viewers were shocked by the forensic psychiatrist’s story, with some saying it was too graphic
Dr Das actually gave a small ‘trigger warning’ before he began his tale.
He explained the inmate committed ‘extreme self-harm’ and that it was ‘the most shocking thing he’d seen in prison.’
‘His offence wasn’t that serious, he was actually in for arson, but the other prisoners,’ he started.
‘Other prisoners immediately took a dislike to him and started spreading these rumours about him being a child sex offender, which wasn’t true,’ he added.
The mental health professional admitted he will never forget the eyeballs story, adding it was the most shocking things he’s seen in prison
Some viewers said the show should have given a trigger warning before Dr Das told his story
‘So he was getting threatened, bullied, harassed, even beaten up.’
This caused the man to become increasingly stressed, Dr Das said.
‘Over the space of a few weeks, because of the stress, he became psychotic and he has these delusional beliefs that other prisoners wanted to kill him and take and eat his eyeballs so that they would get superhuman powers so they could escape,’ he explained.
‘So he basically preemptively removed his own eyeballs. One with a plastic knife and one with his own fingers. It will always stay with me.’
He told Andi Peters and Rochelle Humes that inmates face ‘harsh’ living conditions behind bars
‘Oh my goodness me,’ Rochelle said.
‘I didn’t see it happening but I assessed him shortly afterwards in a civil case when he was actually trying to sue the mental health team in prison,’ Dr Das went on.
The expert added most people think inmates have a ‘cushy’ life in prison, but said the living conditions can be ‘very harsh.’
He added that as opposed to what the general public tends to think, most inmates are not ‘beyond saving,’ and the threat they post to themselves and society can be decreased with the right treatment.
He said there are several factors that can push people to enter a life of crime, including peer pressure and drug and alcohol abuse.
He said that these factors need to be addressed for the inmates to get the life they need.
And while he’s worked with very dangerous individuals, Dr Das said he is not scared for his safety when he goes into prison.
He said that the prisoners tend to be on their best behaviour when they see him because they know the reports he writes will be read by the judge in their criminal cases.
He admitted some prisoners can be aggressive and hostiles in the prison wings, but not when they are being assessed by him.
He admitted that when he runs long term counselling sessions with inmates, he can offer them the support they wouldn’t be getting otherwise.
Viewers found Dr Das’ segment on This Morning interesting, but noted his story was very graphic.
‘Should’ve been a trigger warning before such a revolting story as it is the school holidays,’ one said.
‘He took out his own eyeballs,’ another said, with a sick emoji to show their disgust.
‘Finally someone interesting on This Morning,’ one wrote.
Source: Read Full Article
