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

Subsequent statements to the Prison Service investigators and the Coroner’s
officer
Governor McColm
11.25 Governor McColm told the Prison Service investigators that just before the
adjudication Governor Munns told him of a telephone call, probably from the chaplain,
about Mr Lodge and gave him a piece of paper that mentioned a problem with an officer
at Risley and that there might have been a stitch-up on G wing. He was not, however,
aware that Sonny Lodge had any history of self-harm. He had considered adjourning the
adjudication when Sonny alleged that the officer lunged at him but he understood Sonny
might be discharged that day and he believed he could deal with the issue satisfactorily
so he decided to proceed.
11.26 Governor McColm said he had not investigated the occurrences that Officer
Bowcock said had justified the search and had not looked at the observation book. He
did not see control and restraint forms or a healthcare report of injury for the bump on
Sonny’s head. During the adjudication, Sonny had been emotional, cross and at one
point tearful. At the end he seemed resigned. Part of Governor McColm’s reasoning for
imposing four days’ cellular confinement was to keep Sonny off the wing until after the
bank holiday weekend in view of the information from Governor Munns. He said he
would be more comfortable with his safety and how he would be treated in the
segregation unit than on the wing. He felt uneasy about him going back to the wing.
11.27 After the adjudication he had seen SO Knight and asked him to keep an eye on
Sonny but that was to do with staff approaching him, not that he had picked up any sign
he might self-harm. He wanted to make sure he was safe. If there was a history, then at
least the segregation unit staff knew about it. He did not say this specifically to SO
Knight but knew him to be an experienced SO who would probably have shared some of
the governor’s concerns.
11.28 Governor McColm said that others had described Sonny Lodge as wilful but he
did not strike him that way. Governor McColm said he had had to make a decision about
where to place Sonny. After Sonny’s death, Governor McColm felt painfully aware that it
was his decision had led to Sonny being in segregation.
11.29 In evidence to the inquest, Governor McColm said that the Deputy Governor of
Manchester prison, Mr Munns, had told him before the hearing that Sonny said he had
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