Category: suicide

Inquest concludes into self-inflicted death of Ellie Brabant in mental health unit run by Southern Health – Garden Court Chambers

Posted December 12th, 2018 in death in custody, inquests, mental health, news, suicide by sally

‘The inquest into the self-inflicted death of Ellie Brabant has concluded, with the coroner finding that the lack of a clear care plan, and the decision to discharge Ellie from Section 3 of the Mental Health Act more than minimally contributed to her death. Her family were represented by Sarah Hemingway of the Garden Court Chambers Civil Liberties Team.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 13th November 2018

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Government-commissioned review recommends legal aid for bereaved families – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 7th, 2018 in bereavement, bills, detention, families, legal aid, legal representation, mental health, news, suicide, violence by tracey

‘The government has announced that it will introduce a new mental health bill following today’s publication of the findings of an independent review into the Mental Health Act 1983. However it is silent on the review’s recommendation that bereaved families should receive non-means tested legal aid – despite already pledging to accept two other recommendations.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 6th December 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

NHS to look into deaths of 100,000 mental health patients a year – The Guardian

Posted November 27th, 2018 in causing death of children or vulnerable adults, codes of practice, mental health, news, pilot schemes, professional conduct, standards, statistics, suicide by tracey

‘The NHS is to start investigating the deaths of more than 100,0000 mental health patients a year in a drive to cut the number of fatalities linked to poor care.’

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The Guardian, 27th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Jails are failing to get a grip on violence and drugs, says chief inspector – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 22nd, 2018 in drug abuse, news, prisons, reports, self-harm, suicide, violence by tracey

‘Britain’s jails are failing to get a grip on record levels of violence, suicides, self-harm and drug-taking which are all getting worse, the chief inspector of prisons warned yesterday.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd November 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Woman who died in prison was left alone in cell after being found with ligatures around her neck, inquest finds – The Independent

Posted November 21st, 2018 in bullying, duty of care, inquests, mental health, news, prisons, professional conduct, standards, statistics, suicide, women by tracey

‘“Deeply inadequate” prison procedures contributed to the death of a young woman who was left alone in her cell after being found with ligatures around her neck, an inquest has found.’

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The Independent, 20th November 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Rise in prison suicides prompts calls to tackle overcrowding – The Guardian

Posted November 20th, 2018 in mental health, news, prisons, suicide by sally

‘The number of suicides among prisoners this year has already exceeded 2017’s death toll, prompting penal reform campaigners to renew calls for urgent action to tackle overcrowding.’

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The Guardian, 19th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Families whose loved ones died in NHS mental health care call for inquiry and reforms as police drop investigation – The Independent

Posted November 15th, 2018 in bereavement, corporate manslaughter, families, health & safety, inquiries, mental health, news, police, suicide, victims by tracey

‘A decision to drop the investigation into the deaths of up to 25 people in the care of NHS mental health services has been described by as a “bombshell” that leaves them without “accountability or recourse”, by their families. Essex Police had spent nearly two years investigating deaths across nine sites at North Essex Partnership University Trust since 2000.’

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The Independent, 15th November 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Carl Sargeant’s widow wins high court bid to challenge inquiry into his sacking – The Guardian

Posted November 14th, 2018 in dismissal, harassment, inquiries, judicial review, ministers' powers and duties, news, suicide, Wales by sally

‘The widow of a former Welsh government minister, who was found dead while he was facing sexual misconduct allegations, has won a high court bid to challenge the legality of an inquiry into his sacking.’

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The Guardian, 13th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Poor healthcare in jails is killing inmates, says NHS watchdog – The Guardian

Posted October 30th, 2018 in causing death of children or vulnerable adults, drug abuse, drug trafficking, duty of care, health, mental health, news, prisons, select committees, sentencing, suicide by sally

‘Almost half of England’s jails are providing inadequate medical care to inmates, whose health is being damaged by widespread failings, the NHS watchdog has told MPs in a scathing briefing leaked to the Observer.’

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The Guardian, 27th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Lady in the lake’ murder case referred to court of appeal – The Guardian

Posted October 29th, 2018 in Criminal Cases Review Commission, miscarriage of justice, murder, news, suicide by sally

‘A man who hanged himself in prison after being convicted of murdering his wife and dumping her body in Coniston Water in the Lake District could receive a posthumous pardon after the case was referred to the court of appeal.’

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The Guardian, 26th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Suicides in immigration detention centres kept ‘state secret’ by Home Office, MPs told – The Independent

Posted September 12th, 2018 in detention, government departments, immigration, news, statistics, suicide by tracey

‘Self-inflicted deaths in removal centres are being kept a “state secret” by the Home Office, according to the expert commissioned by the government to carry out a review of the immigration detention estate. Former prison ombudsman Stephen Shaw, who has produced two major reports on immigration removal centres (IRCs), told MPs it was “odd and frankly self-defeating” that the department did not make the numbers of detainee deaths public.’

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The Independent, 11th September 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Change to evidential standard could lead to more suicide verdicts – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 7th, 2018 in burden of proof, inquests, news, standard of proof, suicide by tracey

‘A recent decision on the evidential standard of proof required for a coroner or jury to return a conclusion of suicide could lead to an increased number of “suicide” conclusions being upheld, and a change in the rules surrounding the burden of proof applied at inquests in the future.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 7th September 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

Standard of Proof for Suicide in Inquests: R (on the application of Thomas Maughan) v Senior Coroner for Oxfordshire [2018] EWHC 1955 (Admin) – Henderson Chambers

Posted August 9th, 2018 in inquests, news, standard of proof, suicide by sally

‘On 26 July, Leggatt LJ, sitting with Nicol J, handed down a judgment that challenges the long-held view that suicide must be proved to the criminal standard of proof in an inquest. Leggatt LJ, considering the purpose of modern coroner’s courts and the relevant jurisprudence, held that the correct standard of proof to be applied is the normal civil standard of balance of probabilities.’

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Henderson Chambers, 31st July 2018

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Nurse who set himself on fire outside Kensington Palace after losing job was ‘treated unfairly’, report finds – The Independent

Posted August 9th, 2018 in disciplinary procedures, dismissal, news, nurses, suicide by tracey

‘A nurse who burnt himself to death outside Kensington Palace after losing his job was “treated unfairly”, an independent report has found.’

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The Independent, 9th August 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

New balance of probabilities test for suicide verdict – Owain Thomas QC – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted July 30th, 2018 in inquests, news, standard of proof, suicide by sally

‘The received wisdom, supported by all leading texts on coroner’s law is that in order for a Coroner or jury to return a verdict of suicide in an inquest, the fact that the deceased deliberately took his own life must be established beyond a reasonable doubt, or in other words, to the criminal standard of proof.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 28th July 2018

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Woman killed herself after series of NHS trust errors, jury finds – The Guardian

Posted July 26th, 2018 in duty of care, health, inquests, mental health, news, suicide, young persons by sally

‘A young woman with mental health problems killed herself after a series of major errors by the NHS trust that was looking after her, a jury at an inquest into her death has found.’

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The Guardian, 25th July 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Emergency services liable where responsibility is assumed and detrimental reliance has taken place – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted July 20th, 2018 in duty of care, emergency services, news, police, suicide by tracey

‘Sherratt v Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police [2018] EWHC 1746 (QB) (16 July 2018). This was an appeal on a preliminary issue from the decision of David Berkeley QC, sitting as the Recorder below. The question was whether the defendant chief constable owed a duty of care to the claimant’s partner, who had committed suicide.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 18th July 2018

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Pte Sean Benton: Deepcut soldier’s death was suicide, coroner rules – BBC News

Posted July 19th, 2018 in armed forces, bullying, inquests, mental health, news, suicide by tracey

‘The death of a young soldier at Deepcut barracks 23 years ago was suicide, a coroner has ruled after a new inquest.’

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BBC News, 18th July 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Gaia Pope: Police watchdog launches new probe over handling of rape allegation two years before teenager’s death – The Independent

Posted July 5th, 2018 in complaints, mental health, news, police, rape, suicide, victims, young persons by tracey

‘Police who failed to act on an allegation of rape made by Gaia Pope two years before her tragic death are under investigation in a fresh probe.’

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The Independent, 5th July 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

HMP Woodhill has ‘staggering’ rate of self-inflicted deaths – BBC News

Posted June 19th, 2018 in news, prisons, reports, self-harm, suicide by sally

‘A prison where 20 men have taken their lives since 2011 has a “staggering” death rate and is still failing vulnerable inmates, a report has said.’

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BBC News, 19th June 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk