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

though he was convinced that he had referred to the observation book and not Mr
Lodge’s personal record. He said he might also have got information from other officers.
Another reason for searching Mr Lodge’s cell was that he was conveniently available,
being on ‘bang-up’ during the association period.
9.29 In oral evidence to the inquest Mr Bowcock said that he could see that Mr
Lodge’s cell had not been searched within the month. The records show this was
incorrect.
9.30 Mr Bowcock told the inquiry that he could not be sure whether he had looked at
the history sheets but his recollection was that the main reason for selecting Mr Lodge
was that he had had a visit. In his statement, he said that he could “categorically state
that the entry in the record [about an assault on Officer Brownley] did not in any way
provide the motivation for the decision to search Mr Lodge’s cell. I do not remember
reading that particular entry.”
SO Nuttall’s evidence
9.31 SO Nuttall told the inquiry that when he came on duty in the evening staff were
already detailed to particular duties and Officers Bowcock and Downs told him they
would start routine cell searching. He said they did not say which cells were to be
searched. He would have expected them to do so only if the search was because of
security information or immediate grounds for concern such as a smell of cannabis
coming from a cell.
9.32 SO Nuttall said that he did not look at the wing observation book when he took
over the wing but relied on an oral handover from the outgoing senior officer to alert him
to any problems.
The records
9.33 Mr Bowcock wrote the cell number, Mr Lodge’s name and prison number and his
own name in the excess searching sheet. He did not enter the name of Mr Lodge’s
cellmate, or Mr Downs’ name; the entry was not signed and no result was entered. The
details would normally have been completed at the end of the search. In his statement to
the police, Mr Bowcock said that he did not complete the entry that evening because of
the incident after the search and when he looked for the book to complete the record the
next day it was gone.
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