Chaotic prison handover contributed to deaths

Chaotic prison handover contributed to deaths

An inquest jury has concluded that the chaotic handover of a Nottinghamshire prison from one private contractor to another contributed to the deaths of three inmates who took their own lives within the space of 19 days. The men died in the first weeks after control of Lowdham Grange Prison was transferred from Serco to the contractor Sodexo, which admitted prisoners’ safety was not given enough priority.

‘Missed opportunities’ contributed to three inmates’ deaths, inquest jury finds

An inquest jury has found that failings and “missed opportunities” at a prison contributed to the deaths of three inmates just weeks apart. Nottingham Coroner’s Court heard a joint inquest

Inquest into the deaths of three men at Lowdham Grange concludes with findings that multiple individual and system failures contributed to the deaths and the need for “radical change”

Before HM Area Coroner Laurinda Bower Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire Coroner’s Court 4 November 2024 to 7 February 2025 HMP Lowdham Grange was the first of several prisons to reach the end of its Private Finance Initiative (“PFI”) contract in 2023. Against the backdrop of a troubled prison Serco lost the contract to Sodexo but within 37 days 3 men were dead at their own hand. Anthony Binfield died on 6 March 2023, David Richards on 13 March…