Polmont YOI officer felt ‘a wee bit’ responsible for boy’s suicide, inquiry told

A prison officer who was working at a young offenders institution before the suicide of a 16-year-old boy has described it as a “terrible tragedy” and said he felt “a wee bit” responsible.

A fatal accident inquiry at Falkirk Sheriff Court is examining the circumstances of the deaths of Katie Allan at Polmont Young Offenders Institution in June 2018, and William Brown, 16, also known as William Lindsay, who took his own life at the facility four months later.

Mr Brown, who had been in care repeatedly, was found dead in his cell on October 7, three days after being admitted as there was no space in a children’s secure unit, having walked into a police station with a knife.

Ms Allan, a student at Glasgow University, was found dead in her cell on June 4 while serving a 16-month sentence for drink-driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Alexander Cormack, who was a prison officer for 30 years, was working at Polmont on October 5, 2018.

At the inquiry on Friday, advocate depute Leanne Cross asked Mr Cormack how he felt about Mr Brown’s death when he came on duty on Sunday October 7.

He said: “It was a terrible tragedy.”

Ms Cross asked Mr Cormack: “Did you not feel a bit responsible?”

Mr Cormack responded: “A wee bit, yes. I probably should have checked him more.”

When Ms Cross asked Mr Cormack what he thought he could have done, he replied: “I am not really sure. The boy could have gone back on Talk 2 Me.”

Mr Cormack said he could not remember when the Scottish Prison Service Talk 2 Me suicide prevention strategy was introduced, and he could not recall when he received training on the matter.

Earlier in his evidence, Mr Cormack said the only information he had access to regarding Mr Brown was that passed from a colleague, to ensure he kept an eye on the youngster as he was “vulnerable”.

He said he was not aware of his past issues and that he could not recall being given any of the information about Mr Brown.

Sheriff Simon Collins KC, inquiry chairman, told Mr Cormack he “must try to remember” as some of his colleagues said Mr Brown’s suicide was something they would “never forget”.

Ms Cross put it to Mr Cormack that he “did absolutely nothing to assist William Brown”.

He replied: “No, apart from relaying that information (to keep an eye on Mr Brown) to the other staff.”

The inquiry also heard from Dr Mayura Deshpande, a consultant forensic psychiatrist, who was asked to prepare reports to assess the circumstances of the deaths of Ms Allan and Mr Brown.

Dr Deshpande described Mr Brown’s actions prior to his incarceration, where he turned up at a police station with a knife, as “at the very least, a cry for help”.

The psychiatrist raised issues with how both Ms Allan and Mr Brown were assessed upon their arrival at Polmont, and said Ms Allan’s assessment seemed to be based on her own self-reports.

Dr Deshpande said the circumstances of Mr Brown’s arrest should have been factored into any mental health risk assessment made of him, but that did not appear to have been the case.

She said: “My understanding from reports is that William presented at a police station with a knife. He stated he had thoughts of suicide.

“This was at the very least a cry for help.”

Ms Cross asked Dr Deshpande why that would have been the case.

Dr Deshpande responded: “I think for a few reasons. He was a young person, being remanded into custody for the first time.”

She said prison officers who admitted Mr Brown to Polmont on October 4, 2018 “did their best” with the forms that they had.

In the case of Ms Allan, Dr Deshpande said when it became clear she was suffering from additional alopecia and her mental health was deteriorating, that should have resulted in a new assessment of needs.

She recommended that arrival assessment forms should include prompts for staff who spoke to the inmates upon admission.

The inquiry, before Sheriff Simon Collins, continues.