One of Victoria’s most violent, mentally unwell women is living shackled and in solitary confinement despite a safer and more humane forensic hospital unit sitting ready, waiting on government directions to open.

The County Court on Thursday heard harrowing details of the woman’s seclusion and the ongoing attempts to safely reintroduce her into the presence of others so that she can recover, which is in part hampered by conditions in Thomas Embling Hospital in Melbourne’s inner north.

The Victorian government is spending $515.7 million expanding the Fairfield hospital – run by Forensicare for mentally unwell people in the criminal justice system – to progress a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

But despite the inclusion of a secure speciali

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