Inquest Reveals Failures at Nottinghamshire Prison Linked to Inmate Suicides

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An inquest has found that "poor leadership and supervision" contributed to the deaths of three inmates at HMP Lowdham Grange in Nottinghamshire between March 6 and March 25, 2023. The victims—Anthony Binfield, 30, Rolandas Karbauskas, 49, and David Richards, 42—were found dead in their cells within a three-week span. According to the jury, "repeated failures" and staffing issues at the privately managed prison, run by Sodexo, likely exacerbated the situation.

Area coroner Laurinda Bower expressed concern about the failures in care and the prison's inability to learn from past incidents. She issued two prevention of future deaths reports, highlighting that staff felt overwhelmed and reported a lack of basic care. Binfield, already under observation due to a history of self-harm, was shown via CCTV to have not received proper checks.

The Ministry of Justice, fined £500 for failing to provide timely evidence during the inquest, acknowledged the ongoing challenges at the facility, which has since been permanently taken over by the government due to these issues, including high levels of self-harm and illegal drug availability.

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