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| Transgender inmate complained of bullying by guards, inquest told | Transgender inmate complained of bullying by guards, inquest told |
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| A transgender woman killed herself in a male prison days after backing out of a suicide pact formed with three fellow trans prisoners over complaints of bulling by guards, an inquest has heard. | A transgender woman killed herself in a male prison days after backing out of a suicide pact formed with three fellow trans prisoners over complaints of bulling by guards, an inquest has heard. |
| Jenny Swift, 49, was found dead in her cell at HMP Doncaster on 30 December last year, Doncaster coroner’s court was told on Monday. | Jenny Swift, 49, was found dead in her cell at HMP Doncaster on 30 December last year, Doncaster coroner’s court was told on Monday. |
| Swift, who was on remand for murder, had formed the pact days earlier over complaints that transgender prisoners were being intimidated and were not being listened to by prison staff, a jury heard. | Swift, who was on remand for murder, had formed the pact days earlier over complaints that transgender prisoners were being intimidated and were not being listened to by prison staff, a jury heard. |
| Giving evidence, Swift’s friend and fellow inmate Paris Clarke said she and Swift pulled out of the agreement after realising it “wasn’t a good idea”. | Giving evidence, Swift’s friend and fellow inmate Paris Clarke said she and Swift pulled out of the agreement after realising it “wasn’t a good idea”. |
| Clarke, who was diversity representative for the four trans prisoners at HMP Doncaster, said: “Some of us were being bullied by members of staff and no one was listening to us, so we made a pact of suicide.” | Clarke, who was diversity representative for the four trans prisoners at HMP Doncaster, said: “Some of us were being bullied by members of staff and no one was listening to us, so we made a pact of suicide.” |
| She said Swift seemed upbeat and happy when she saw her on the night of her death. Swift had plans and talked about wanting to have a husband, she said. | She said Swift seemed upbeat and happy when she saw her on the night of her death. Swift had plans and talked about wanting to have a husband, she said. |
| “She was funny and everything. She mentioned her kid, she mentioned about living life to the full. She gave everybody a cuddle that night, like she did most nights. She was just happy and said she would see us in the morning,” said Clarke, now an inmate at the female prison HMP New Hall in West Yorkshire. | “She was funny and everything. She mentioned her kid, she mentioned about living life to the full. She gave everybody a cuddle that night, like she did most nights. She was just happy and said she would see us in the morning,” said Clarke, now an inmate at the female prison HMP New Hall in West Yorkshire. |
| Asked whether she had any inkling that Swift would kill herself, Clarke replied: “No. You never really saw her down. If she was upset she was angry but … she would never show her upset side.” | Asked whether she had any inkling that Swift would kill herself, Clarke replied: “No. You never really saw her down. If she was upset she was angry but … she would never show her upset side.” |
| Barney Branston, the barrister for Serco, which runs HMP Doncaster, suggested to Clarke that the bullying they alleged was simply a staff member being “robust”. Clarke replied: “I get that but I still saw the way she [the prison officer] was as bullying. In my view she wasn’t very professional.” | Barney Branston, the barrister for Serco, which runs HMP Doncaster, suggested to Clarke that the bullying they alleged was simply a staff member being “robust”. Clarke replied: “I get that but I still saw the way she [the prison officer] was as bullying. In my view she wasn’t very professional.” |
| Clarke told jurors she was aware that Swift had previously tried to kill herself and that she was on suicide watch, formally known as assessment care in custody teamwork (ACCT). Swift’s ACCT plan said she had to be checked on by a prison officer every 30 minutes. | Clarke told jurors she was aware that Swift had previously tried to kill herself and that she was on suicide watch, formally known as assessment care in custody teamwork (ACCT). Swift’s ACCT plan said she had to be checked on by a prison officer every 30 minutes. |
| Jurors were told that Swift had been taking hormone replacement treatment (HRT) drugs she had bought over the internet before she arrived at HMP Doncaster in November, five weeks before she killed herself. | Jurors were told that Swift had been taking hormone replacement treatment (HRT) drugs she had bought over the internet before she arrived at HMP Doncaster in November, five weeks before she killed herself. |
| Friends and two fellow inmates told the inquest Swift struggled without the medication and was desperate to be moved to a female prison. Clarke said Swift was very upset at no longer being on HRT drugs and had told her days before her death: “I’m starting to turn back into a man.” | Friends and two fellow inmates told the inquest Swift struggled without the medication and was desperate to be moved to a female prison. Clarke said Swift was very upset at no longer being on HRT drugs and had told her days before her death: “I’m starting to turn back into a man.” |
| However, Clarke said Swift had told her shortly before her death that she was happier because she was to be given HRT medication on 3 January, four days after she was found dead. | However, Clarke said Swift had told her shortly before her death that she was happier because she was to be given HRT medication on 3 January, four days after she was found dead. |
| Another prisoner, John Parton, told the court that “one or two” prison officers had infuriated Swift by referring to her as “fella”. | Another prisoner, John Parton, told the court that “one or two” prison officers had infuriated Swift by referring to her as “fella”. |
| In a written statement, Parton said: “The guards used to treat her well but one or two used to call her fella, which would piss her off big time. She used to shout off the balcony: ‘I’m Jenny Swift, not Jonathan.’ | In a written statement, Parton said: “The guards used to treat her well but one or two used to call her fella, which would piss her off big time. She used to shout off the balcony: ‘I’m Jenny Swift, not Jonathan.’ |
| Parton said before lockdown on the night of her death, he saw Swift talking to one of the prison guards on the landing. “I don’t know what they were talking about but Jenny went back to her cell and called him a bitch.” He added: “I don’t think Jenny wanted to kill herself. I believe it was a cry for help.” | Parton said before lockdown on the night of her death, he saw Swift talking to one of the prison guards on the landing. “I don’t know what they were talking about but Jenny went back to her cell and called him a bitch.” He added: “I don’t think Jenny wanted to kill herself. I believe it was a cry for help.” |
| The coroner, Neil Cameron, told jurors that Swift was transgender and undergoing gender reassignment but at the time of her death was still legally a man. Cameron said he would refer to Swift by her birth name, Jonathan Swift, although the prison officers who gave evidence referred to her as Jenny. | The coroner, Neil Cameron, told jurors that Swift was transgender and undergoing gender reassignment but at the time of her death was still legally a man. Cameron said he would refer to Swift by her birth name, Jonathan Swift, although the prison officers who gave evidence referred to her as Jenny. |
| John Martindale, the prison’s custodial operations manager, told jurors he spoke to Swift on Christmas Day and she was “laughing and joking”. | John Martindale, the prison’s custodial operations manager, told jurors he spoke to Swift on Christmas Day and she was “laughing and joking”. |
| She seemed upbeat because prison staff had spoken to her about her medication and the possibility she would be moved to a female prison, he said. “She was happiest when she thought there was some sort of progression.” | She seemed upbeat because prison staff had spoken to her about her medication and the possibility she would be moved to a female prison, he said. “She was happiest when she thought there was some sort of progression.” |
| He said she had recently been moved to a wing with another transgender prisoner to make her feel more comfortable. | He said she had recently been moved to a wing with another transgender prisoner to make her feel more comfortable. |
| The inquest continues. | The inquest continues. |
| In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. | In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. |
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