ALLEGED SEX OFFENDER WHO DIED IN PRISON 'SHOULD HAVE HAD BETTER MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT'
A prison inmate who hanged himself should have had better mental health support, a prisons ombudsman report has found.Sion Evans died at HMP Parc in Bridgend on August 12, 2022 while remanded on charges of serious sexual offences.
The 38-year-old was remanded on April 8 that year.
He had attempted suicide two weeks earlier and so prison staff started self-harm monitoring as soon as he arrived.
On May 10, staff moved Mr Evans to the 'safer custody unit' as they were concerned about his erratic behaviour and deteriorating mental health.
But the disturbed behaviour continued as he smeared urine, faeces and semen on the walls of his cell.
He lost a significant amount of weight.
Towards the end of June his behaviour improved and on July 6 he was moved back to a standard wing.
On July 15, staff stopped self-harm monitoring.
Then, on August 11, Mr Evans met his solicitor.
Prisons ombudsman Kimberley Bingham wrote in her report: "We have been unable to confirm what they discussed but, after Mr Evans’ death, prisoners said that Mr Evans was worried he would get a long sentence." At 9.56am on August 12, after Mr Evans had failed to attend work, an officer went to his cell and found him hanged.
An inquest in January this year concluded Mr Evans died by ligaturing himself in circumstances where his intention could not be ascertained.
Highlighting concerns over his care before his death, Ms Bingham wrote: "Staff referred Mr Evans for a mental health assessment on April 9 but he was not seen until May 7.
The clinical reviewer considered this was a long delay and was not the standard that would be expected in the community." "He also considered that healthcare staff should have considered a referral to a psychiatric hospital when, in his view, Mr Evans was showing symptoms of a severe mental illness.
The clinical reviewer was also concerned that Mr Evans, who was severely short-sighted, went for weeks without his glasses or contact lenses, and was never seen by the optician while he was at Parc."
