HMP Woodhill officer left noose with suicidal inmate

HM Prison Woodhill
Ryan Harvey arrived at HM Prison Woodhill on 22 April 2015 on remand.

A senior prison officer failed to remove a noose from an inmate who was later found hanged, a court has heard.

Ryan Harvey hanged himself in his cell at HMP Woodhill, Milton Keynes, 90 minutes after an officer found him with a noose around his neck.

The Old Bailey heard custodial manager Joseph Travers, 55, “breached his duty” by not taking action to prevent the 23-year-old’s suicide on 3 May 2015.

He denies gross negligence manslaughter and misconduct in a public office.

At about 20:30 on 3 May, prison officer Alison Barton found Mr Harvey trying to hang himself in his cell, the jury heard.

Ms Barton spoke to Mr Harvey through an observation flap, before making an emergency call to alert others.

Mr Travers attended but prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC said no-one entered the cell as Mr Harvey “threatened to throw his television” at anyone who did.

The court heard Mr Travers should have taken “immediate steps” to remove the noose and implement constant supervision, but this did not happen.

Mr Harvey was found hanging in his cell at 21:58. He died at Milton Keynes Hospital five days later on 8 May.

The court heard Mr Harvey had been found with a noose around his neck the day before he hanged himself, but on this occasion an officer entered the cell and removed it.

As Assessment Care in Custody and Teamwork plan was then implemented, which led to half hourly observations of Mr Harvey.

On the day Mr Harvey hanged himself, his observations were reduced as he was deemed to be low risk.

The trial continues.

Source: bbc.co.uk

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