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

FOREWORD
Sonny Lodge died by his own hand in the segregation unit of Manchester prison on 28
August 1998. He had been due for release that day, from a five month sentence, but
remained in prison remanded on a charge of assaulting a prison officer.
The purpose of the inquiry was to examine the care of Mr Lodge by the Prison Service in
the period leading to his death, in order to identify any deficiencies that may have had an
influence on his death, and to help prevent similar tragedies.
During his sentence, there were two critical incidents when Mr Lodge was accused of
assaulting or attempting to assault prison officers. Both incidents were contentious and
reflected poor practice by certain members of staff. The inquiry discovered that prison
managers had cause for concern about the good faith of an officer whom Mr Lodge was
said to have assaulted. The concerns about the officer were not disclosed to the police
who charged Mr Lodge with assault.
The inquiry found instances of care and concern for Sonny Lodge and some acts of
kindness. Sonny Lodge could be truculent, but people who sat down with him and
listened found him pleasant and cooperative. When Mr Lodge started his sentence it
was known that he had self-harmed in the past and a self-harm prevention plan was
adopted. After two weeks Mr Lodge assured the staff he had no problems and the plan
was closed. The next day he cut his arms with a razor blade. The alleged assault on an
officer occurred at an outside hospital where Mr Lodge was taken for treatment. On his
return to prison a new self-harm prevention plan was opened. It was closed three weeks
later. After that, staff assessed Mr Lodge’s state of mind, and made decisions about his
care, without knowing the history.
A few days after the self-harm prevention plan was closed, Mr Lodge committed a
disciplinary offence. The punishment meant he spent the next week on a restricted
regime, with no association periods, tobacco, radio, publications or any other means of
occupation or distraction. It was an unusually stringent punishment. At the end of the
week, he was supposed to be going back to E wing where he could have resumed
employment. Instead he spent three weeks on K wing.
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