Cedars was run by laid-back staff the inquest heard

Anne Harris, 29, Shaun Sheppard, 17, and Jamie Hague, 19, all died after jumping from the cliff top at Salcombe Hill, Sidmouth in 2002.

They had all been voluntary psychiatric patients at the Cedars Unit of Wonford House Hospital in Exeter.

An inquest jury in Exeter heard of a catalogue of mistakes by carers.

The place was run like a hotel. Patients came and went as they pleased Michael Harris on the Cedars Unit

Teacher Michael Harris, 39, said he was amazed at the amount of freedom his wife Anne was given and way patients were able to abuse drink and drugs.

He said it was run like a hotel with patients able to come and go at will even though they were at high risk of suicide.

Mrs Harris had been making regular shop lifting visits to the centre of Exeter and after her death the hospital returned 16 bin bags full of stolen brand new designer clothes worth at least �4,000 to her husband.

Drug dealers

Mr Harris said: "The place was run like a hotel. Patients came and went as they pleased.

"The majority of staff appeared to be very laid back and Anne told me she was playing the system and telling the staff what they wanted to hear so she could get more freedom.

"This meant she could mix with the male patients and she talked of drinking and taking drugs with male patients and drug dealers hanging around the ward and selling drugs through the window of the ward at night."

The mother of suicide pact victim Jamie Hague blamed lack of care at a mental hospital for his death.

Mrs Anne Richards told the jury how she rang the unit just hours before he died to warn them her son had made a suicide pact.

She begged staff to section her son under the mental health act and ordered them to stop him leaving with any other patient because she knew he was a serious risk of suicide.