INQUEST OPENS INTO DEATH OF 16 YEAR OLD IN BRINSFORD ...

89-93 Fonthill Road, London N4 3JHPhone: 020 7263 1111 Fax: 020 7561 0799inquest@inquest.org.uk www.inquest.org.ukINQUEST OPENS INTO DEATH OF 16 YEAR OLD IN BRINSFORD YOUNGOFFENDER INSTITUTION 10 th DECEMBER 2001Tuesday 11December 2001, 10am.Sitting with HM Coroner for Staffordshire, Andrew Haighat Stafford Crown Court, Victoria Square, Stafford, Staffs. ST16 2QQAnthony Redding, a 16 year old was found hanging in his cell in the Health Care Wing at HMYoung Offenders’ Institute Brinsford, in the afternoon of 14 February earlier this year. The inquestinto his death begins on Tuesday 11 December at 10am. It is expected to last 3 to 4 days.Anthony Redding arrived at HMYOI Brinsford on 25 January 2001 on a 4 month DetentionTraining Order. En route to the prison whilst in the transport van he attempted to hang himself usinghis shoe laces and as a result on arrival at Brinsford, he was housed in the Health Care Centre wherehe was placed on ‘Suicide Watch’. He had a history of self harming in custody from a previoussentence in Brinsford and his family were concerned about the risks he posed to himself while incustody. On the 14 February prison nursing staff discovered Anthony Redding hanging from hiscell window bars. He was transferred to a local hospital but never regained consciousness and waspronounced dead on the evening of 15 February 2001.Since the early 1990s INQUEST has worked with the families of many of the young boys who havetaken their own lives in Young Offenders Institutions. The inquests into their deaths have raisedserious questions about the identification and treatment of vulnerable prisoners and the use of prisonfor juveniles.Deborah Coles co-director of INQUEST said:“This death raises very serious questions about the regime operating in Brinsford and thetreatment and care of vulnerable young offenders. It is vital that this death and the issues itraises about the health care provided and the protection of ‘at risk’ children is fully exploredat the inquest and any failings identified. Anthony is one of three 16 year olds who havetaken their own lives this year in Young Offenders Institutions. These deaths point to acriminal justice system that is sending children to institutions that can not keep them safe”INQUEST Lawyers group solicitor Mark Scott of Bhatt Murphy Solicitors and barrister PeteWetherby are representing the family. Interviews with the family will be given at the conclusion ofthe inquest.Note to Editors:1. Last year eighteen young offenders aged 21 and under took their own lives in prison. Therehave been a total of 63 self-inflicted deaths in prison so far in 2001, 15 of which (23%) were ofprisoners aged 21 and under.CAMPAIGN FOR FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AWARD WINNER 1999Funded by

2. This year three 16-year-old juveniles have died. Anthony Redding (HMYOI Brinsford), KevinJacobs (HMYOI Feltham) and Mark Dade (HMP Wakefield). INQUEST Lawyers Grouprepresents all three families.3. HM Chief Inspector of Prisons’ damning report on HMYOI Brinsford can be downloaded from:http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmipris/inspects/brinsford.pdf.Self-inflicted deaths HMYOI Brinsford 1990-dateName Ethnicity Age Status Date Cause VerdictLuke Cortezo- White 19 Remand 28/09/0 Hangin AwaitedAnthony Redding UK 16 Convicte 14/02/0 Hangin AwaitedDavid Trevor UK 17 Remand 30/05/0 Hangin SuicideDavid John Irish 18 Convicte 22/03/0 Hangin Accidental Death aggravatedStuart John UK 19 Convicte 10/03/0 Hangin Misadventure aggravated byCarl Andrew UK 19 Convicte 27/12/9 Hangin SuicideRobert John UK 18 Remand 07/10/9 Hangin Suicide while balance of mindKevin Howard UK 18 Remand 05/07/9 Hangin UnknownJody Turner UK 20 Convicte 14/08/9 Hangin UnknownStephen Cannon UK 19 Remand 23/03/9 Hangin UnknownSource: INQUEST monitoring2