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

expect staff to treat him badly because of it or because he had reason to believe it was
already known to prison staff.
18.14 Prison records and Sonny Lodge’s letters indicate that he had a number of runins
with officers after 18 July. In a letter of 25 July to his sister, he says the officers have
been trying to provoke him because of the Whiston incident. On 16 August, in a letter to
his girlfriend, he says he knew he would get stitched up as soon as an officer “gave me
loads about that nicking in Risley”.
18.15 I have found no evidence, apart from Sonny Lodge’s own belief, that he was
singled out for systematic victimisation at Manchester because of the alleged assault on
Officer Brownley. However, from what he reportedly said to people, and from his letters,
it seems that on occasion it may have been referred to. There is no guarantee that
people will always tell the unvarnished truth in personal letters to their loved ones but it
seems unlikely that Sonny Lodge so consistently attributed conflicts with staff to the
Whiston incident without there being some foundation. There were opportunities for
officers to see reference to the alleged assault when making other entries in the history
sheets and it is not inconsistent with what the inquiry has learned about Manchester
prison at the time that some officers took it upon themselves to bring prisoners into line
in authoritarian fashion.
Factors that affected Sonny Lodge’s state of mind
18.16 Sonny Lodge’s troubles did not start in prison. He had a poor start in life, a
substantial record of petty crime and longstanding dependence on drugs. He had selfharmed
before his prison sentence in 1998. He was disappointed in himself, especially
in failing to be a good father to his children.
18.17 It is evident from Sonny Lodge’s letters that his hopes for a home and future life
with his girlfriend, free of crime and drugs, was a critical support, keeping him going. The
fact that sanctions in prison, coupled with lack of money to buy phonecards, frequently
prevented him telephoning his girlfriend was a cause of distress.
18.18 From his letters, it appears that Sonny Lodge’s belief that he was at the mercy of
the arbitrary authority of hostile staff caused him additional distress. The mood
expressed in his letters veers from determined optimism and, sometimes, defiance, to
despair, at times within one letter. Sometimes he says he can cope with the rigours of
prison and even a fresh sentence but he cannot bear to see his girlfriend’s distress. The
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