A killer who pulled a knife on his psychiatrist during a consultation has been ordered to be detained without limit of time.
Joseph Harrison had been freed early from his sentence for culpable homicide, despite psychiatrists warning he posed “a serious risk of harm”.
He then produced a knife during an appointment with a psychiatrist after claiming he heard voices telling him he was being targeted by a hit squad.
After hearing about the post-release incident with the knife, Sheriff Fiona Tait made Harrison the subject of a compulsion order. He will be detained at Murray Royal psychiatric hospital in Perth without limit of time.
Harrison, who was jailed for six years for killing prostitute Susan Third and having sex with her lifeless body, claimed he needed the knife for protection.
Perth Sheriff Court was told the 38-year-old was released early from the sentence imposed at the High Court, despite still being considered highly dangerous to the public.
Harrison killed 21-year-old Ms Third but the sentence was limited because he was ruled to be suffering from diminished responsibility at the time.
He was released after serving four years for the killing.
Ms Third had approached Harrison, from Brechin, in February 2005 as he sat crying in his car at Aberdeen harbour.
He later strangled her before driving to a field in Aberdeenshire, where he sexually assaulted the mother-of-one and dumped her body.
Depute fiscal Carol Whyte told Perth Sheriff Court that Harrison had been moved from Carstairs State Hospital and into prison, before being released in February 2009. His licence period ran out in February last year.
Three months later he was at a meeting with a consultant psychiatrist when he produced a knife with a four- inch blade.
Ms Whyte said: “The doctor instructed him to put it away and he did so. He believed the hit squad were out to get him and needed the knife for protection.
“The doctor was extremely concerned about his irrational behaviour. Police were called and searched the accused and recovered the knife.”
Former farm worker Harrison, c/o Murray Royal Hospital, Perth, admitted having an offensive weapon in the hospital on May 20 last year.