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

chaplains to see him. Ms Lorimer told the inquiry that she cannot now remember the
detail of the conversation and it was not clear from the statements she made closer to
the time whether Ms A warned specifically about suicide or previous self-harm. She
recalled that she went to see Mr Lodge immediately, to have a reasonable length of time
before she would have to leave the wing at lock-up. Ms Lorimer spent 40 minutes with
Mr Lodge on G wing, leaving him about 11.50 am just before prisoners were locked in
their cells before lunch. Ms Lorimer found Mr Lodge “very down and low” and he wanted
to see her. They talked in the room on G wing that was sometimes known as the chapel.
Sonny talked mainly about the incident with the Risley officer and his “worst concern”
that he was going to be gate arrested on his release day because of it. Ms Lorimer
understood from Mr Lodge that a governor had found there was no case to answer but
the officer had taken a private prosecution. Mr Lodge felt upset and depressed because
of a sense of real injustice. Ms Lorimer told the inquiry it was the injustice that really
rankled with him. Ms Lorimer asked Mr Lodge whether he would like her to take it up at
an official level, for example, by speaking to a governor but he said he did not want her
to do anything. He wanted to “keep his head down.” He believed that staff on G wing did
not know about the Risley incident.
8.16 Ms Lorimer said that Mr Lodge also talked about the incident when he severely
cut himself and of trying to commit suicide. She said he linked these feelings to being
unable to cope with the death of a six year old son. He had expressed despondency and
pain and talked of times when he had slashed his arms for relief. He said he was feeling
depressed and had thought about suicide. Ms Lorimer asked whether he had thought
how he would kill himself and he said not. Ms Lorimer asked him whether he had
thoughts of suicide at present and he said he had not. Ms Lorimer told the inquiry that
the distinct view she formed was that his single suicide attempt had been linked to the
death of a son. Ms Lorimer was a bereavement counsellor. Sonny’s description of his
feelings was in keeping with her experience of feelings expressed by others who had
suffered bereavement. She was surprised when she heard at the inquest that Sonny
was not known to have had a six year old son.
8.17 Ms Lorimer was asked by the Prison Service investigators whether she
considered opening an F2052SH. She said that she was concerned about Sonny but the
overriding concern on Wednesday 26 August was that he did not want to make a fuss on
the wing. Ms Lorimer told the inquiry that she had asked if he had thought how he might
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