The One Bermuda Alliance has raised the alarm at the lack of facilities available to hold and treat violent criminals and sex offenders once they have served their sentence.

Robin Tucker, the Opposition Leader in the Senate, said that dangerous criminals with mental health issues often needed counselling and supervision long after they had served their sentence and been released into the community — and that a lack of monitoring after release represented a threat to the public.

Ms Tucker spoke out after serial sex offender Devaun Cox was released back into the community this week after serving eight months for an attack on a patient at the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute in May last year.

Although he was under probationary supervision for a further 18 months as mandated by the courts, Cox was subsequently arrested for breaching those conditions and is now back in custody.

Ms Tucker pointed out that the prison system lacked a secure forensic unit to hold and treat high-risk, mentally ill and violent or sexual offenders once they had served their time.

She said: “While the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute has a secure unit, if a person has committed an offence against a member of staff, it is unlikely that they can receive services on site.

“This is understandable as no one should feel unsafe when carrying out their duties but it begs the question — what then happens to offenders who are in need of treatment from MWI?

“How many offenders will serve two-thirds of their sentence and be released without adequate treatment?”

After Cox’s court appearance on Tuesday, Michael Weeks, the Minister of National Security, said that “stringent measures were implemented to ensure strict adherence to all necessary protocols during the period of his release”.

Mr Weeks also noted that short sentences presented “challenges in conducting the assessments required for a comprehensive report to be prepared”.

Kathy Lynn Simmons, the Attorney-General and legal affairs minister, added that her ministry was able to provide further safeguards by announcing the release of any criminals who posed a threat to the public.

But Ms Tucker said: “Although steps have been taken to protect the public by issuing alerts when high-risk violent and sexual offenders are released from prison, what is needed is proper sentencing with increased consultation from service providers.

“We also must ensure that mandated housing requirements are in place as a condition of release, with improved monitoring for all high-risk violent sexual offenders.

“In the best interest of the public and the sex offenders themselves, it should be mandatory for all sex offenders to complete programmes which will contribute positively to their rehabilitation.

“While progress is being made, there is still a long way to go. We must ensure that everything that can be done is. Everything must be done to prevent future abuse and victimisation of any of our people.”