AN inqujry into the treatment of a former mental patient who turned a friend into a human fireball has found that the murder could not have been anticipated or prevented.

In a report, an independent review panel, led by Newcastle barrister Kester Armstrong, said the murder of Lennie Leak, 49, by Mark Towell, in September 2002 was "completely unpredictable and impulsive".

He said it had proved impossible for the panel to explain the precise motivation for the murder.

Mr Armstrong noted that much of Towell's history of domestic violence against a number of partners remained unreported.

"As a consequence, the various professionals who had contact with Mark Towell were deprived of a potentially useful indicator as to the possible risk that he posed," the barrister said.

Towell, 26, from Gateshead, was jailed for life by Newcastle Crown Court in July 2002.

The court heard how he poured a can of petrol over Mr Leake, a care worker, before setting him ablaze in a back lane in Felling.

Towell was said to have held a grudge against his former friend.

The inquiry was commissioned by Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic Health Authority because prior to the offence Mark Towell had received mental health services.

Mr Armstrong said Towell had "a propensity for violent anti-social behaviour and cared little for the consequences of his actions".

Throughout his life, he had "frustrated the efforts made by a wide variety of professionals to engage him", Mr Armstrong added.

Experts were unanimous that Towell was not suffering from a psychiatric disorder.

The panel called for agencies to regularly review their procedures for working with difficult clients, improve the recording and sharing of information and use electronic information systems more effectively.