PRISONERS from a Portland jail could commit sexual offences and violent crimes when released into the community, it was warned today.

An independent report on HMP The Verne claims untrained prison officers are being forced to assess mentally ill inmates before setting them free because of a shortage in qualified staff.

The prison's Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) annual review says victims and their families may take legal action against the prison service for failing to take proper care of inmates and the public.

In the report, IMB chairman Pat Shepherd said: 'The board of the Verne has been concerned for some time regarding the lack of resources provided to the prison service in order to perform its duty in partnership with the police and probation service to recognise and treat offenders who exhibit 'obsessional behaviour', ie those who are likely on release to commit sexual and/or violent crimes.'

He added: 'Given this lack of resources, the board is of the opinion that there is a risk of a violent/sexual offender being released unrecognised on to the streets to commit a crime.

'This is a very worrying prospect for the prison service and appears to be one to which the Government has given little thought and less resources.'

The report - covering the period May 2004 to April 2005 - says a psychiatrist works at The Verne for only one morning a month, leaving 'a heavy burden' on untrained staff.