A leaked confidential psychiatric report into the condition of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi has confirmed the fears voiced by the Justice for Megrahi campaign.

The report paints a grim picture of an isolated, lonely figure unable to access basic pastoral care, and rent with frustration at his isolation in the face of his protested innocence.

"Like anyone else diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, he remembers feeling desperate to be with his family. In the event he was given no emotional support, only what he was able to obtain over the telephone. Over the next three days he found it difficult to sleep at night. He has since received no formal emotional or psychological support," the report says.

"He is cut off from his family and unable to receive their care or care for their needs. When a parent is diagnosed with a fatal illness their overwhelming desire is to make plans for their children's future so as to ensure their survival.

"The strength of this need is to reflect an evolved biological imperative to care for one's young, especially in the face of death. Quite apart from this, it is obviously humane that people be able to spend their last few months receiving the spiritual and emotional support from the people closest to them, and it is probable that this may even lengthen their survival."

"Of all the children he was, and remains, particularly close to his mother who is now 85; since being in prison he has phoned her every day and every day she says that she hopes to see him again before she dies."

"There is little doubt that Mr Megrahi is suffering high levels of emotional and psychological distress. He is not only dealing with a progressive fatal illness and unpleasant side-effects from his treatment, but also the stressful uncertainty of his prognosis.

"Unlike most people with cancer he is unable to access any form of confiding support. There is a lack of culturally appropriate support to enable Mr Megrahi to give vent to the very natural emotions he is feeling and, in the face of his mortality, to adjust to and make peace with his impending death.

"Although his religion is a source of great solace, he is highly frustrated by his inability to care for his family."