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

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Officer Brownley’s injury<br />

4.20 Dr Wright also commented that thumb dislocations were generally caused by a<br />

moving object (such as a cricket ball), by falling on to <strong>the</strong> thumb or by entrapment. He<br />

said he could understand how Officer Brownley’s injury might have been sustained in his<br />

fall but o<strong>the</strong>rwise he asked whe<strong>the</strong>r it was an aggravation <strong>of</strong> a previous injury. Officer<br />

Brownley told <strong>the</strong> inquiry he had experienced no such injury to ei<strong>the</strong>r hand before <strong>the</strong><br />

incident at Whiston.<br />

4.21 An accident report dated 27 June stated, “Duty doctor reported extensive<br />

damage to ligaments and surrounding tissue on left thumb, including... [illegible in copy]<br />

...and listed for invasive surgery.”<br />

4.22 In his statement to <strong>the</strong> police on 14 August 1998, Mr Brownley said that his<br />

thumb snapped back <strong>into</strong> place but he was unable to use his hand owing to ligament<br />

damage and pain. He said he been in hospital for an operation where his thumb was<br />

pinned, ligaments were repaired and his thumb was placed in a splint. Since <strong>the</strong> incident<br />

he had been unable to work. In his statement to <strong>the</strong> inquiry, Officer Brownley said he<br />

had physio<strong>the</strong>rapy for 12 months after <strong>the</strong> incident and was eventually informed that he<br />

was 20% medically disabled.<br />

Contemporary records about <strong>the</strong> incident<br />

Accident report<br />

4.23 Officer Brownley signed a Prison Service accident report on 27 June. This<br />

records details <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> injury to his thumb (quoted in paragraph 4.21 above), says that <strong>the</strong><br />

injury occurred during necessary restraint and that <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficer was assaulted.<br />

Adjudication under <strong>the</strong> Prison Rules<br />

4.24 A memorandum to a governor at Garth on 28 June from a governor at Risley<br />

identified only by initials, asked for an adjudication to be opened and adjourned because<br />

<strong>the</strong> incident had been referred to <strong>the</strong> police “who will formulate charges”. A governor’s<br />

adjudication was opened at Garth on 29 June. Sonny Lodge was charged with<br />

assaulting Officer Brownley. The Notice <strong>of</strong> <strong>Report</strong> (Form F1127) said: “You assaulted<br />

Officer Brownley by pushing him backwards.” According to <strong>the</strong> record <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> adjudication<br />

Mr Lodge pleaded guilty.<br />

28

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