Report of the Inquiry into the circumstances of the Death of Bernard ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

PART ONE WHAT LED TO THE INQUIRY This part of the report contains a summary of the events that are examined in detail later. It explains what led to the inquiry and why it took place so long after Sonny Lodge’s death. The process of the inquiry is described and I make some observations about procedure in inquiries of this kind. The terms of reference of the inquiry are attached to the report at Annex 1. A note on the investigation procedure is at Annex 2. I have tried to avoid, as far as possible, the use of acronyms, which can be confusing to readers who are not familiar with them, but sometimes it would be too cumbersome to use common terms in full each time they occur. There is a glossary of acronyms and references at Annex 4. 1
Chapter 1 SONNY LODGE AND AN OUTLINE OF THE EVENTS WHEN HE WAS IN PRISON Summary 1.1 This chapter introduces Sonny Lodge 1 and gives an outline of the events that are examined in detail later in the report. Sonny Lodge 1.2 Bernard Joseph Lodge was born in Manchester on 6 August 1970. When he died in Manchester prison on Saturday 28 August 1998, he was 28 years old. Bernard was known in the family as Sonny. When he was two, Sonny and his two sisters were placed in an orphanage in Dublin. Boys and girls were separated and Sonny rarely saw his sisters. When Sonny was seven, their mother returned and took the children to live in Manchester. Sonny’s sister says their mother’s partner had a bad temper and often hit Sonny. Their natural father died in 1982 and their mother in 1991. 1.3 At the age of 17, Sonny became father to a daughter. His son was born the following year. From 1986 to 1992 Sonny lived with his children and their mother. Sonny was using hard drugs and their mother was concerned for the children. Sonny left the family home but remained in touch with the children and their mother. 1.4 In a prison record, Sonny’s occupation was recorded as being a joiner and a friend said that in 1998 he worked in a garage for a time; but, from December 1986 to October 1997, he incurred 22 convictions, mainly for small-scale property offences or breach of court orders. There was one offence of violence, causing actual bodily harm, in 1986. Sonny served short prison sentences in 1994 and 1996. On 15 June 1998, he was sent to Risley prison on a sentence of five months for shoplifting and breach of bail. He was due to be released from prison on licence on 28 August. 1.5 Sonny’s family say his convictions were related to his drug dependence. When Sonny arrived at Risley in June 1998, he had a longstanding heroin habit, and smoked 1 I have thought carefully about what to call Sonny Lodge in this report. To call him Sonny risks suggesting a familiar relationship that the inquiry should not claim, or treating this 28 year old man as a child not responsible for his actions. But to say Mr Lodge sometimes seems artificial and too formal and distant for the person at the heart of this inquiry. Bernard was his given name but he was not generally known by it. I considered using initials as being a neutral form but that seemed too impersonal. Sonny Lodge was known differently by different people. I have decided mainly to use the names Sonny or Sonny Lodge by which he was known to friends and family. I hope that this will not offend any of the people reading this report and that it will not be misinterpreted as bias. 2
Page 1 and 2: Report of the Inquiry into the circ
Page 3 and 4: Crown Copyright 2009 The text in th
Page 5 and 6: Reports from HM Prisons Inspectorat
Page 7 and 8: The report makes 48 findings but on
Page 9 and 10: CONTENTS PART ONE: WHAT LED TO THE
Page 11: viii
Page 15 and 16: denied the charge. He admitted push
Page 17 and 18: and to Sonny’s wing. A health car
Page 19 and 20: was not aware of Sonny’s history
Page 21 and 22: The Court said that any failure to
Page 23 and 24: structure the inquiry’s considera
Page 25 and 26: 2.25 At the hearings, the solicitor
Page 27 and 28: or recognition. Their actions may b
Page 29 and 30: 18 In inquiries of this kind it ma
Page 31 and 32: Chapter 3: RISLEY: 15 TO 26 JUNE 19
Page 33 and 34: 0820 Appeared to be OK when unlocke
Page 35 and 36: Chapter 4: THE INCIDENT AT WHISTON
Page 37 and 38: admitted pushing the officer and ga
Page 39 and 40: Officer Brownley’s injury 4.20 Dr
Page 41 and 42: was required to resume wing duties
Page 43 and 44: would not be a problem. He said he
Page 45 and 46: Chapter 5: 27 JUNE TO 9 JULY 1998:
Page 47 and 48: continued assessment and recording
Page 49 and 50: 4 July 0630 1650 1930 5 July 0630 1
Page 51 and 52: Table 3 40 9 July 1335 1400 1609 17
Page 53 and 54: point on the history sheets kept on
Page 55 and 56: working prison occupied mainly by c
Page 57 and 58: privileges over and above the facil
Page 59 and 60: the actual memory of many of its st
Page 61 and 62: with officers in the kitchen for go
Page 63 and 64:
H wing: 25 July to 1 August 7.37 In
Page 65 and 66:
7.48 On Sunday 16 August, an entry
Page 67 and 68:
Chapter 8: SUNDAY 23 AUGUST TO THE
Page 69 and 70:
Wing officer 8.8 Officer Sanderson
Page 71 and 72:
chaplains to see him. Ms Lorimer to
Page 73 and 74:
Thursday morning 8.21 Captain Palme
Page 75 and 76:
9.5 Officer Downs told the inquiry
Page 77 and 78:
visit before time and that there wa
Page 79 and 80:
ecollection of the incident and mus
Page 81 and 82:
9.34 Mr Bowcock was asked about the
Page 83 and 84:
Chapter 10: AFTER THE SEARCH: THE I
Page 85 and 86:
and now they’re doing three years
Page 87 and 88:
Mr Lodge’s account of the inciden
Page 89 and 90:
HCOs advised staff to loosen their
Page 91 and 92:
punishment for the altercation in t
Page 93 and 94:
82 The diagnosis of dissocial pers
Page 95 and 96:
11.6 Back in the chaplains’ offic
Page 97 and 98:
take his clothes off for a search a
Page 99 and 100:
Subsequent statements to the Prison
Page 101 and 102:
Evidence to the inquiry SO Knight 1
Page 103 and 104:
going to happen to him. She was als
Page 105 and 106:
11.53 In his final letter to his gi
Page 107 and 108:
Chapter 12: ISSUES RAISED IN THE CL
Page 109 and 110:
should not routinely be used. But i
Page 111 and 112:
impulsivity; difficulty forming rel
Page 113 and 114:
any underlying paranoid illness as
Page 115 and 116:
Chapter 13: ISSUES RAISED IN THE CL
Page 117 and 118:
Changes to assessing fitness 13.10
Page 119 and 120:
13.20 One of the mental health nurs
Page 121 and 122:
Chapter 14: SAFEGUARDS AGAINST SUIC
Page 123 and 124:
Meeting the prisoner’s needs. Thi
Page 125 and 126:
114 Prison culture The policy stat
Page 127 and 128:
14.16 “Prisoners who are at risk
Page 129 and 130:
Closing a Plan 14.25 The form says
Page 131 and 132:
14.36 In oral evidence to the inqui
Page 133 and 134:
CHAPTER 15: PREVENTING SUICIDE AND
Page 135 and 136:
mind in the last week of his life i
Page 137 and 138:
colleague to see Sonny Lodge on Thu
Page 139 and 140:
15.21 ACCT also requires a risk ass
Page 141 and 142:
Chapter 16: THE INQUIRY’S CONSIDE
Page 143 and 144:
Despite these findings, there is in
Page 145 and 146:
16.17 The inquiry was told that pri
Page 147 and 148:
Chapter 17: TRANSFERS, WING AND CEL
Page 149 and 150:
punishment, there is no evidence th
Page 151 and 152:
held safely; Respect - prisoners ar
Page 153 and 154:
Chapter 18: WAS SONNY LODGE VICTIMI
Page 155 and 156:
surgeon at Whiston Hospital found S
Page 157 and 158:
fact that, as he sees it, injustice
Page 159 and 160:
that it was made at all. However, i
Page 161 and 162:
forcefully, but for prison staff, i
Page 163 and 164:
Chapter 20: THE SEARCH AND THE INCI
Page 165 and 166:
However, like the various reports o
Page 167 and 168:
Chapter 21: THE ADJUDICATION AND PU
Page 169 and 170:
21.4 PSO 2000, which came into effe
Page 171 and 172:
21.13 In order to find the charge a
Page 173 and 174:
Chapter 22: COMMUNICATIONS AND RECO
Page 175 and 176:
opportunity when the senior officer
Page 177 and 178:
prompted special protection. Conseq
Page 179 and 180:
Manchester prison now 23.4 In evide
Page 181 and 182:
Safety 23.13 I have described in pa
Page 183 and 184:
ehaviour, achievements, interaction
Page 185 and 186:
prison. Many prisoners carry a host
Page 187 and 188:
PART FOUR FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS
Page 189 and 190:
Information was not always recorded
Page 191 and 192:
opportunities for social interactio
Page 193 and 194:
41 Governor McColm did not explore
Page 195 and 196:
LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS I have exer
Page 197 and 198:
LIST OF OBSERVATIONS ABOUT INQUIRY
Page 199 and 200:
ANNEX 1 TERMS OF REFERENCE 1 1. To
Page 201 and 202:
9. Communications and record-keepin
Page 203 and 204:
helpful. The chronology will not fo
Page 205 and 206:
Notice of matters requiring explana
Page 207 and 208:
ANNEX 3 LIST OF LEGAL REPRESENTATIV
Page 209 and 210:
PSI Prison Service Instruction PSI
show all

Report of the Inquiry into the circumstances of the Death of Bernard ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?