A SCHIZOPHRENIC cannibal was able to kill two men after being released from a secure hospital because of NHS failings, two inquiries suggest.

Peter Bryan, now 39, killed Brian Cherry, 43, at his Walthamstow flat and ate parts of his brain in 2004.

The killing happened the same day staff caring for him at the Newham Centre for Mental Health decided he should be given as much freedom as he wanted but return at night.

After checking Mr Cherry was dead, Bryan sawed off his arms and left leg, before horrified police officers found him cooking part of his victim's brain in a pan of butter.

Bryan was sent to a secure hospital in Nottinghamshire after beating a 20-year-old shopworker to death in 1993 but was conditionally discharged in 2002.

He also strangled fellow patient Richard Loudwell at Broadmoor after being sent there later in 2004.

He was branded “extremely dangerous” and told he would never be freed in 2005, but a 2006 appeal ruled he could be free in 15 years if doctors were satisfied he was no longer dangerous.

In June this year, the release of reports into why he was allowed to kill again was delayed at the request of Mr Cherry's family.

But the reports, carried out for NHS London, have now been made public and say more should have been done to stop him.

They blame system failures rather than individuals for the mistakes.

The reports also say Bryan was a difficult case as he was able to sustain long periods of showing no obvious signs of mental health problems.

The report into Mr Cherry's killing says Bryan was moved into the community too quickly in 2002 and says staff assigned to look after him did not have the required experience.

Experts say this led to a reduction in his anti-psychotic medication and the Nottinghamshire health service was also criticised for not taking an allegation of sexual assault seriously enough.

A move to a secure unit could have stopped Bryan killing Mr Cherry, investigators said, but acknowledged Home Office rules may have prevented his recall.

Broadmoor management also came under fire as between being admitted and his attack on Mr Loudwell, Bryan was never medically examined and no plan was in place to protect other patients.

Mr Loudwell was attacked in the dining room, which was not monitored by staff at the time.

Jane Mishcon, who chaired the inquiry into Mr Cherry's killing, said: "There are lessons here for the whole of the NHS."

The two NHS trusts in charge of his treatment at the time of the killings apologised for failures and said improvements were made.