HMP Lowdham Grange: ‘Repeated failures’ at jail where three men died

Anthony Binfield was 30 years old when he was found in his cell on 6 March 2023, just weeks after Lowdham Grange changed hands.

He had first arrived at the jail in August 2021, and after a short period at a different jail returned in November 2022, but he had repeatedly requested a transfer to a different institution.

The court heard he was known to have issues with drugs and had been attacked due to debts, yet in the days before his death, information about his mental health struggles was not passed on properly between staff.

His aunt said he had been “let down” by the prison service, and said Lowdham Grange “couldn’t cope with him, and often didn’t care”.

The jury said Binfield had, on five different occasions, been placed under an ACCT (assessment, care in custody and teamwork), a process used in prison to help those at risk of self-harm or suicide, but it was not in place at the time of his death.

He was placed under half-hourly observations after being found under the influence of Spice, but staff did not carry out the checks properly, with CCTV showing them also not present at his cell when they said they were.

The jury said when the observation hatch to Binfield’s cell door was covered, “there was an 11-minute delay before the prison staff entered the cell”, with “no urgency” to call an emergency.

Returning a conclusion of suicide, it said a note found laid bare how he “felt let down and unheard by the system and by the prison staff”.

“Anthony felt trapped by the system, out of depth, and felt he had no-one to turn to for help,” jurors added.