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

Mr Lodge’s account of the incident
10.21 According to the governor’s notes of the adjudication, Mr Lodge said his property
was “everywhere” and he was upset but laughed; Officer Bowcock then lunged at him;
he “tried to roll up in to a ball”; he lost consciousness then came round. He maintained
that he did not raise a hand to any of the officers nor move towards the staff.
10.22 Father McCann saw Mr Lodge in the segregation unit before the adjudication. In
evidence to the Prison Service investigation he said Mr Lodge told him that he expected
something to be planted in the cell during the search and afterwards a confrontation
occurred, triggered by his nervous laugh when he was upset by the state of his property
in the cell after the search.
10.23 In evidence to the Prison Service investigation Father McCann said Mr Lodge
claimed that a ‘scouser’ officer hit him in the face saying, “This is for Mr… [a name that
Father McCann could not remember during the investigation interview but understood to
be the name of the Risley officer Mr Lodge was alleged to have assaulted].”
Evidence given by prisoners
10.24 Two prisoners gave evidence about the incident in the cell to the Prison Service
investigation and to the inquest. The inquiry tried to trace the two former prisoners from
Prison Service records but was unable to contact them.
The evidence of Mr Gray
10.25 Mr Lodge’s cellmate, Mr Gray, gave evidence to the Prison Service investigation
and the inquest that he was able to see into cell G3-24 from G3-03 opposite. He named
the officers in the cell as “Collier” and “Lawson” but told the inquest he might have got
the names wrong. There is no evidence that officers by those names were on G wing
that evening.
10.26 Mr Gray told the Prison Service investigators that the cell door was half-open and
he could see Sonny Lodge at the end of the cell near the pipes facing the sink. “Mr
Collier” went into the cell. Mr Gray said he could not say if “Mr Collier” grabbed or
punched Sonny Lodge but Mr Lodge fell back and hit the floor. Then the door was
closed.
10.27 Mr Gray told the coroner’s officer that Officers “Collier”, “Lawson” and another
were in the cell with Mr Lodge. “Mr Collier” was standing near the table with his back to
76