A GWENT father is demanding a public inquiry into how his daughter became one of the victims of a triple killer.

A year after paranoid schizophrenic Steven Price was detained for life for killing Emma Proctor, Martin Connop and John Gibbings, mowing them down as they walked along Five Locks Road, Cwmbran, Emma's father, Reginald Proctor, says he still has no answers over the deaths.

A year ago Mr Proctor asked why the mentally ill man who went on to kill his 27-year-old daughter and her two friends was allowed to be at large.

He says he is still waiting for answers and cannot move on until he gets them.

Price, aged 30, of Ty Pwca Road, Pontnewydd, was detained "indefinitely" under the Mental Health Act after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of the three with diminished responsibility, ploughing into them in his father's 4X4.

Price had wrongly believed that Mr Connop wanted to kill him, and later told his father: "It was either him or me."

Price was sentenced at Cardiff crown court on October 1, 2004. Miss Proctor's father told the Argus he has been unable to move on or draw a line under the terrible events of last year.

"I am angry there have been no answers," said Mr Proctor, 49, who lives in Southville, Cwmbran.

"I've still got a great big hole in my life, and I am still asking, why was this man walking the streets when he was so ill?

"I want a public inquiry to understand how this came to be and to make sure it never happens again. He clearly was very ill and people must have noticed.

"So far there has been nothing. The matter might be closed for the authorities, but it isn't for the families.

"I want to know how he slipped through the net - how someone could be that ill, and why my daughter wasn't protected."

In court last year Price's barrister, Patrick Harrington, QC, said his client had refused any help for his condition, stressing that "no blame" could be put on his GP.

But Mr Proctor said he wants to know the facts behind Price's illness, and how his illness progressed to such a critical level.

Gwent Healthcare Trust said it could not comment on the issue because Price had never been referred to its psychiatric services.