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HMP Bedford inmate hanged self after two days in jail | |
(about 13 hours later) | |
An inmate hanged himself two days into his sentence after telling jail staff he found it hard to ignore voices in his head telling him to end his life, a report said. | |
Michael Berry, 24, was the eighth inmate to take his own life at HMP Bedford since 2017. | Michael Berry, 24, was the eighth inmate to take his own life at HMP Bedford since 2017. |
The Prisons ombudsman said "significant issues remain" in the delivery of [the mental health] service" at the jail. | |
A Prison Service spokesman said all the report's recommendations were accepted. | A Prison Service spokesman said all the report's recommendations were accepted. |
Mr Berry, who had a history of substance and alcohol abuse and mental health problems, was remanded at the jail on 8 March 2017, after appearing in court charged with 22 offences, including kidnap and sexual assault of an adult male. | Mr Berry, who had a history of substance and alcohol abuse and mental health problems, was remanded at the jail on 8 March 2017, after appearing in court charged with 22 offences, including kidnap and sexual assault of an adult male. |
The report said court staff emailed the prison's mental health team requesting an assessment of Mr Berry's risk to himself, but the jail's team had no record of this correspondence. | |
He was then assessed at the prison's reception without documentation, and self-harm and suicide procedures began. | He was then assessed at the prison's reception without documentation, and self-harm and suicide procedures began. |
'Tragic case' | 'Tragic case' |
The following day there was a care review but the report said "healthcare staff were not invited, despite Mr Berry saying that he heard voices telling him to kill himself". | The following day there was a care review but the report said "healthcare staff were not invited, despite Mr Berry saying that he heard voices telling him to kill himself". |
The ombudsman said this "should have prompted an urgent mental health assessment and a referral to a GP to consider prescribing antipsychotic medication as a matter of urgency". | The ombudsman said this "should have prompted an urgent mental health assessment and a referral to a GP to consider prescribing antipsychotic medication as a matter of urgency". |
Instead they increased his observations that day and the next, but on 10 March he was found hanging in his cell, and died in hospital on 16 March. | Instead they increased his observations that day and the next, but on 10 March he was found hanging in his cell, and died in hospital on 16 March. |
A Prison Service spokesman said: "This is a tragic case and our thoughts remain with Mr Berry's family and friends. | A Prison Service spokesman said: "This is a tragic case and our thoughts remain with Mr Berry's family and friends. |
"We accepted all the recommendations from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman and the prison has since made a number of improvements to the work it does to prevent suicide and self-harm." | "We accepted all the recommendations from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman and the prison has since made a number of improvements to the work it does to prevent suicide and self-harm." |
There have been no deaths at the prison in 2018. | There have been no deaths at the prison in 2018. |
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