Hanged prisoner fought his own shadow, inquest told

Oct 23 2007

A PRISONER found hanging in his cell told prison staff he had seen a ghost and that his shadow on a wall “was going to get him” a coroner’s jury was told yesterday.

Thomas Ashworth, 29, an artist, of Fair Grove, Kensington, Liverpool, was 3½ years into a nine-year sentence for robbery when he was found with a sheet round his neck hanging from a light fitting at Dovegate Prison, near Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, in February last year.

Mr Howard Carter, the South Staffs coroner’s officer, said Mr Ashworth had been in custody since 2002 and had moved around be- fore going to Dovegate.

“Two days after his arrival he was moved to a segregation unit as there was some concern about his mental health,” he said.

“He was then moved to a mental health centre before being returned to the segregation unit. On February 16, 2006, he was found dead in his cell hanging from a light fitting,” he said.

A pathologist said Mr Ashworth would have died within one to two minutes.

Nurse Tracey Campbell, who carries out independent inquiries into deaths in jail for the prison and probation ombudsman, said Mr Ashworth’s mental health was giving cause for concern.

“There had been a few episodes of self-harm,” she said.

“Between February and July 2005 he was regularly assessed by a mental health team but no mental illness was found. He was visited daily by health care staff but there was no report of anything unusual,” she said.

“He was discharged from in-reach facilities in the prison but no care of plan had been instituted. It is unfortunate that having been seen by community health nurses on January 30 there was no follow-up plan.

“On one occasion he said he had seen a ghost and was shaking with fear and had a restless night.

“He was seen every day by the community psychiatric nurse but long term goals had not been set. An assessment did not go ahead or was not documented.

“In September 2004 he was seen and a report said there was thought blocking, no eye contact and laughter. There was nothing about suicide but there was concern about deliberate self-harm.”

Nurse Campbell said: the South Staffordshire coroner, Mr Andrew Haigh, that Mr Ashworth was seen jumping around his cell kicking and punching furniture.

“He said his shadow on a wall was going to get him and he had been fighting his shadow. Staff were clearly concerned as to his well-being.”