There have been no successful prosecutions for deaths in British police custody since 1969 – here’s why – The Guardian

‘Black people account for 3% of the population, but 8% of deaths in custody. As a former chief prosecutor, I know this is only the end point of a system that disproportionately suspects, arrests, convicts and imprisons BAME people.’

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The Guardian, 11th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

England police watchdog investigates death of man in custody – The Guardian

Posted June 9th, 2020 in death in custody, news, police by sally

‘The England and Wales police watchdog is investigating the death of a man who died in custody in Devon.’

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The Guardian, 8th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘A black man’s life is not valued’: attack on year-long delay of UK police death inquiry – The Guardian

‘An official review into the death of a black man who was punched repeatedly by police, beaten with a baton and Tasered has been delayed for the last year because investigators have yet to obtain a transcript of the inquest.’

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The Guardian, 6th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Alarm over five suicides in six days at prisons in England and Wales – The Guardian

Posted May 28th, 2020 in coronavirus, death in custody, mental health, news, prisons, statistics, suicide by sally

‘Five suicides have been recorded in prisons in England and Wales in just six days, the Guardian understands, fuelling fears that a highly restrictive regime in place to combat the spread of the coronavirus is having a devastating impact on inmates.’

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The Guardian, 28th May 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Covid-19 deaths and Inquests – Doughty Street Chambers

‘An Inquest is not a foregone conclusion, since death by prevalent disease will not necessarily be considered “unnatural”. There is new guidance issued today (28 April 2020) by the Chief Coroner as to the circumstances in which in Inquest will be appropriate.’

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Doughty Street Chambers, 28th April 2020

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Inquests into deaths in custody during the COVID-19 pandemic – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Following the sad news of the first death in custody from COVID-19, a question arises: what are likely to be the issues at inquests into the deaths in custody from COVID-19?’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 6th April 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Up to 4,000 inmates to be temporarily released in England and Wales – The Guardian

‘As many as 4,000 prisoners in England and Wales are to be temporarily released from jail in an effort to try and control the spread of coronavirus, the government has announced.’

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The Guardian, 4th April 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Multiple failures contributed to death of Dean George at HMP Swansea – Garden Court Chambers

Posted March 27th, 2020 in chambers articles, death in custody, inquests, news, prisons, suicide by sally

‘The inquest into the self-inflicted death of Dean George in HMP Swansea concluded yesterday, with the jury identifying multiple critical failures that contributed to his death on 10 April 2016.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 17th March 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Inquest concludes into death of IPP prisoner Charlotte Nokes seven years over original tariff – Garden Court Chambers

Posted March 24th, 2020 in chambers articles, death in custody, inquests, news, sentencing, standards by sally

‘The inquest into the death of Charlotte Nokes has concluded with the jury finding her death was by ‘natural causes’. Charlotte was 38 when she was found dead in her cell in HMP Peterborough on the morning of 23 July 2016. She was serving an indefinite Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence and was over seven years over the minimum tariff when she died.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 4th March 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Inquest jury concludes multiple failures at HMP Nottingham contributed to self-inflicted death of Ben Ireson – Garden Court Chambers

Posted March 23rd, 2020 in death in custody, inquests, juries, news, prisons, standards, suicide by sally

‘Benjamin Ireson, known as Ben, was a much-loved son, brother, uncle and friend to many. He was found hanged in his cell at HMP Nottingham on 13 December 2018. He was 31 years old.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 9th March 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Prisons ‘could see 800 deaths’ from coronavirus without protective measures – The Guardian

Posted March 23rd, 2020 in coronavirus, death in custody, early release, health, health & safety, news, prisons by sally

‘Failure to protect the most vulnerable inmates in the UK prison system from coronavirus could result in more than 800 avoidable deaths, experts have warned.’

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The Guardian, 21st March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Casual’ and ‘fragmented’ approach to welfare of immigration detainee resulted in his death – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted March 17th, 2020 in death in custody, detention, immigration, inquests, news by sally

‘Following an Article 2 inquest into the tragic death of Prince Fosu, a vulnerable foreign national detained in an immigration removal centre, a jury has found that Mr Fosu’s death was avoidable and was caused by a number of gross failures on the part of the Home Office and various agencies to provide appropriate care in immigration detention at Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 16th March 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Judge attacks S&G for “wholly unacceptable” failure – Legal Futures

A High Court judge has strongly criticised Slater & Gordon (S&G) for a “wholly unacceptable” failure to give him a crucial letter when applying for an urgent injunction in a police misconduct case.

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Legal Futures, 4th March 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘Gross failures’ contributed to man’s death in immigration centre – The Guardian

Posted March 3rd, 2020 in death in custody, detention, immigration, inquests, news by sally

‘Neglect and a series of gross failures by the Home Office and other agencies contributed to the death of a vulnerable Ghanaian man from hypothermia, dehydration and malnutrition, an inquest jury has found.’

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The Guardian, 2nd March 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Family of UK man who died in police custody criticises watchdog – The Guardian

‘The family of a man who died in custody last month has criticised the police watchdog for failing to recommend the suspension of officers being investigated over the circumstances of his death.’

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The Guardian, 11th February 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Case Preview: R (Maughan) v Her Majesty’s Senior Coroner for Oxfordshire – UKSC Blog

‘This case concerns the standard of proof applicable in inquest proceedings in cases of alleged suicide. It raises important and fundamental questions concerning the conduct of inquests, and will be of particular significance to bereaved families where the deceased is alleged to have committed suicide while in the care or custody of the state. The Supreme Court may also consider the position in relation to findings of unlawful killing.’

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UKSC Blog, 7th February 2020

Source: ukscblog.com

Guildford cell death: Police ‘thought woman was asleep’ – BBC News

Posted February 4th, 2020 in death in custody, drug abuse, inquests, news, prisons by sally

‘A woman who was found dead in a police cell appeared to have stopped breathing the night before her body was found, an inquest jury has heard.’

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BBC News, 3rd February 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Jury highlight Morton Hall multiple staff failures as inquest concludes on death of immigration detainee Carlington Spencer – Garden Court Chambers

Posted November 20th, 2019 in death in custody, detention, immigration, inquests, juries, news by sally

‘The inquest into the death of Carlington Spencer, known to his family as ‘Jammy’, concluded on Friday 8 November. Carlington was an immigration detainee at Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 14th November 2019

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Police officers charged over Dalian Atkinson death named after force loses bid to protect their identities – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 14th, 2019 in anonymity, contempt of court, death in custody, news, police by tracey

‘Two police officers charged over the death of the footballer Dalian Atkinson have been named after their force lost an “unjustified” attempt to protect their identities.’

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Daily Telegraph, 13th November 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Man died in immigration detention after staff ‘dismissed’ stroke as sign he had taken spice – The Independent

‘A man died in immigration detention after medical staff “dismissed” signs that he was having a stroke because they wrongly presumed that he had taken spice, an inquest has concluded.’

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The Independent, 12th November 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk