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

surgeon at Whiston Hospital found Sonny Lodge “calm and cooperative”. The healthcare
officer at Garth described his demeanour as “pleasant and cooperative”. The medical
officer at Garth described him as “a quiet, pleasant individual.” Governor McColm told
the Prison Service investigators, “Everybody else says that this young man was very
wilful and I honestly can’t see that.”
18.10 Others describe Sonny muttering or mumbling when things went against him and
he told Father McCann and Governor McColm about reacting to adversity with a nervous
laugh. There are instances of Sonny Lodge being said to be abusive when agitated: to a
nurse after he cut his arms at Risley, and in the waiting area at Whiston hospital, as well
as entries in the history sheets critical of his attitude to staff. In May 1998 he was banned
from Manchester Drug Service for six months for threatening behaviour towards one of
the doctors. The diagnosis of dissocial personality disorder by the psychiatrist at
Warrington Hospital was only tentative but Dr Wright found it appropriate and said that
risk of violence and threatening and abusive behaviour could be characteristic of the
disorder.
Was Sonny Lodge victimised by staff because he was alleged to have assaulted a
prison officer?
18.11 Sonny’s core record, which would have travelled with him to Manchester,
contained papers for the adjudication that was opened and adjourned at Garth about the
alleged assault on Officer Brownley. After induction, the core record would have been
stored in the prison administration centre and not held on the wing. On E wing Sonny
Lodge asked Officer Thompson to make enquiries about whether the police would
pursue the case. The officer’s entry in the history sheets for 17 July referred to the
charge for “alleged assault at Risley on Officer Brownley”.
18.12 Ms Stanway and Father McCann said that Sonny Lodge attributed various
conflicts with staff at Manchester to retribution for the alleged assault on Officer
Brownley. Indeed Ms Stanway and Father McCann said Sonny told them that certain
officers said as much to him.
18.13 Sonny Lodge’s dated letters make no adverse comments about prison staff until
18 July – the day after Officer Thompson’s entry in the history sheets that Sonny had
asked him to enquire about the assault charge. Apparently Sonny Lodge had no
inhibition about disclosing the incident to the officer. That might be because he did not
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