Convicted rapist died after hunger strike

A convicted rapist who claimed he was innocent lost almost half his healthy body weight in a five-month hunger strike at Stafford Prison, an inquest heard.

Jurors at Stafford Crown Court heard yesterday that John Dabrowski, aged 54, weighed just over five stones when he died of inanition - exhaustion through lack of food - after surviving on sugary cups of tea.

Glyn Smith, a mental health nurse at the prison, described the case as "extremely rare" - adding that only five UK prisoners have starved to death in 15 years.

Dabrowski, jailed for at least six years for two rapes and one attempted rape, launched his hunger strike in September 2008 after learning from a solicitor that he had insufficient evidence to appeal.

He was subjected to daily crisis reviews but refused pleas from staff, medical workers and even fellow prisoners to abandon his protest.

Instead he instructed his solicitor to produce a living will, forbidding life-saving treatment if he became incapacitated, and even penned a 'beyond the grave' letter to the coroner who would eventually hear his inquest.

Kevin Arnold, a senior officer at Stafford Prison, said the former Walsall education welfare worker simply "smiled" at attempts to treat him.

He told the court: "Every day he would smile and say 'I know it's your job', but I have made my decision'."

Mr Arnold said Dabrowski's failure to admit guilt, together with his indefinite sentence, made it unlikely he would be freed.

The court heard that Dabrowski, formerly of Pinfold Lane, Norton Canes, was religious and arranged songs and hymns for his funeral with the prison's chaplain.

He had been jailed in the 1990s for the attempted murder of his two children and was estranged from family.

But, in an effort to save him, prison staff arranged meetings with Dabrowski's brother.

Dabrowski's weight had plummeted to 33kg when he died at Samuel Johnson Hospital, Lichfield, in January 2009.

In a hand-written letter to the coroner dated four months prior to his death, Dabrowski claimed he had been "set-up" and was "rail-roaded" into jail.

A jury of seven men and three woman recorded a verdict of suicide by hunger strike.