A MOTHER whose son was shot dead by a mentally-ill friend today welcomed new moves to protect the public.

But Carole Rigby, of Corwen Close, Blackburn, said revised proposals in the draft Mental Health Bill had come too late to ease any of her grief.

Ministers have published the new Mental Health Bill, which was originally drafted in June 2002, sparking widespread criticism.

Under current laws, psychiatrists can only order the compulsory treatment or detention of people with personality disorders if they believe they can relieve their symptoms.

But under the new proposals, doctors could use compulsory detention if the patient would benefit from a clinically-appropriate care plan.

Mrs Rigby, 45, said she hoped the Bill would prevent other families going through the hell that she has experienced.

Her son Anthony was days short of his 19th birthday when he was shot by Mark Harrington, a friend since school, who was a mental health patient at Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn.

Anthony died from a single gunshot wound to the head in January 2002 after a spate of paranoid and erratic behaviour by Harrington.

Harrington, of St James Road, Blackburn, who was 19 at the time of the shooting, was detained indefinitely in a mental unit after pleading guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibilities at Preston Crown Court in September 2002.

A catalogue of failures in his treatment was exposed in an 87-page report, commissioned by Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust, and carried out by health professionals.

Carole said: "This Bill is probably a good thing but it doesn't make any difference to our family that has gone through hell. It won't bring him back.

"It is what they should have done ages ago, then my son might still be alive. It is no good waiting for a tragedy to make them do something.

"But I certainly would not want another family to go through what we have so if it can stop another killing, it must be a good thing."

There is still concern that a loophole could allow the release of dangerous patients with personality disorders because the condition has been seen as difficult to treat.

Other differences to the new Bill including changing the definition of mental disorder to make sure the emphasis is on the psychological condition and not the underlying disorder.

It also sets clear criteria on when someone could be detained against their will.

Health Minister Rosie Winterton said the draft Bill put a new focus on the individual, "allowing compulsory powers to be used in ways that fit with patients' changing needs".