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

going to happen to him. She was also having difficulty arranging an early visit, as prison
records had not yet been changed to show Mr Lodge was on remand not convicted. Mr
Johnson left a message asking Mr Lodge’s solicitor to tell him why bail had not been
granted and he sorted out the problem about visiting.
11.43 Sometime between 3 pm and 4 pm, Mr Johnson went to see Mr Lodge again,
taking the books he had asked for. He talked about when Ms A would visit, and was able
to reassure him he would not be moved to Liverpool. Mr Lodge asked if he could go to
mass on Sunday and Mr Johnson explained how to arrange this. He said he would come
back to tell Mr Lodge the reason for the bail refusal that day, if the solicitor telephoned in
time, and otherwise the next day. He left just before 4 pm to be back in his office for the
solicitor’s call.
11.44 Before leaving the segregation unit, Mr Johnson went into the office and
discussed with the staff what he had done. He recalled that someone asked if Mr Lodge
was suicidal and Mr Johnson said he did not think so. He had been reassured that he
would not go to Liverpool prison and would be safe in the immediate future. Staff had
been fully briefed by Mr McColm and were going to keep an eye on him. They all agreed
Sonny Lodge was not suicidal.
11.45 Mr Johnson said he could not see any signs Mr Lodge might have been thinking
of committing suicide. He did not know him. Though he seemed flat and pretty
unresponsive, his response was positive that the immediate problem about Liverpool
was solved and he was not going to be beaten up.
11.46 Mr Johnson said he was aware that the Risley incident occurred at a hospital
after an incident of self-harm but he did not know the details. He did not know the full
extent of the history or that there had been a really determined and skilful attempt at selfharm
and lots of others in the past. Nor that Sonny Lodge had written clearly about
suicide by hanging. He understood later that Ms A mistakenly believed that the prison
was reading Mr Lodge’s letters. Mr Johnson commented that if they had known the
content of the letters, Mr Lodge would have been placed on almost permanent watch.
11.47 Mr Johnson said to the Prison Service Investigation that in his opinion Sonny
adopted a veneer that:
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