Black deaths in custody (UK)

http://www.irr.org.uk/news/black-deaths-in-custody/

Written by Harmit Athwal

Deaths in police, prison and psychiatric custody since 1978. We list below those deaths of black and minority ethnic individuals which have taken place in prison, police or hospital custody and which have given rise to concern because of unexplained or mysterious circumstances surrounding those deaths and / or allegations of maltreatment, dereliction of duty or brutality.

Each entry in this list contains the following details: Name, Age, Date of death, Category code , Circumstances surrounding death, Inquest verdict. Catgeory codes: Po: Police; Pr: Prisons, Young Offenders Institutes, Remand Centres; Ps: Psychiatric Hospitals.

Michael Ferreira, 19, 10/12/78, Po, Died in Stoke Newington police station after being stabbed in a racist attack, Inquest verdict unknown

S. Singh Grewal, 40, 02/08/79, Po, Died in Southall police station, Inquest verdict unknown

Henry Floyd, 26, 23/08/79, Po, Found hanged in cell of West End Central police station, Suicide

John Eshiett, 26, 24/10/79, Pr, Died in Brixton prison while awaiting trial, Inquest verdict unknown

Richard Campbell, 19, 31/03/80, Pr, Died of de-hydration after being force fed and large quantities of drugs in Ashford remand centre, Death by self neglect because of inadequate medical facilities

Leroy Gordon, 20, August 80, Po, Died in Pershore police station after crowd suspecting him of robbery-sat on him, Asphyxiation due to compression of the neck

Winston Rose, 27, 13/07/81, Po, Died in police van after being restrained by police officers taking him to psychiatric hospital, Unlawful killing at the hands of the police

Shohik Meah, 43, 06/11/81, Po, Died in Thornhill Road police station – Birmingham, Inquest verdict unknown

Paul Worrell, 21, 12/01/82, Pr, A suicide risk; was found hanged in Brixton prison after obtaining the materials to kill himself, Open verdict

Changa Singh, 60, 25/03/82, Po, Died of alcoholic poisoning in Cathay Park police station, Misadventure

Franklyn Lee, 20, September 1982, Po, According to the police died of injuries sustained during a burglary, Inquest verdict unknown

Simeon Collins, 17, 10/12/82, Po, Died of acute injuries to liver and spleen day after being arrested by City Road police, Accidental death

Colin Roach, Age unknown, 12/01/83, Po, Died of gunshot wound sustained while he was in Stoke Newington police station, Suicide

James Ruddock, 44, 14/02/83, Po, Died after being denied treatment for diabetes and sickle cell for 12 hours in Kensington police station, Natural causes attributed to self neglect

Nicholas Ofusu, 31, 06/05/83, Po, Death by misadventure

Mathew Paul, 19, 06/05/83, Po, Found hanged in Leman Street police station, Suicide due to lack of care

Leslie George Singh, Age unknown, 06/12/83, Pr, Fell from 4th floor of Hammersmith hospital after being transferred from Wormwood Scrubs, Inquest verdict unknown

Michael Dean Martin, Age unknown, 06/07/84, ?, ?, Accidental death aggravated by lack of care

Curtis Marsh, 27, 21/10/84, Pr, A suicide risk who hanged himself inside Brixton prison, Suicide

Chittaranjan Joshi, Age unknown, 02/01/85, Pr, Found hanged in his cell while on remand in Pentonville, Suicide

Harold Roberts, Age unknown, 11/03/85, Ps, Suicide

James Hall, Age unknown, 30/03/85, Po, Inquest verdict unknown

John Mikkelson, 34, 15/07/85, Po, Unlawful killing; after police appeal verdict changed to death by misadventure

Cynthia Jarrett, Age unknown, 06/10/85, Po, Accidental death

Keith Hicks, 34, 1986, Pr, A schizophrenic epileptic who died in Brixton prison, Misadventure

Anthony Lloyd Powell, 18, February 1986, Ps, A schizophrenic, died after being given an injection of modecate, Open verdict

Stephen Bogle, 27, 12/08/86, Po, Natural causes aggravated by lack of care

Donald Chambers, 29, 11/09/86, Ps, Death by misadventure

Anwar Kureshi, Age unknown, 06/10/86, Pr, An obvious suicide risk – managed to hang himself in Brixton prison while on remand, Suicide

Caiphas Lemard, Age unknown, 08/10/86, Po, Non-dependent drug abuse aggravated by lack of care

Akhtar Moghul, 47, 27/01/87, Pr, Died in Holloway prison while on remand – spoke no English and was allegedly denied medical treatment for a heart condition, Natural causes aggravated by lack of care

Clinton McCurbin, Age unknown, 20/02/87, Po, Death by misadventure

Ahmed Katangole, 24, 23/03/87, Pr, A suicide risk was found hanged in his cell at Pentonville, Suicide aggravated by official indifference and lack of care

Jasbir Singh Rai, 32, 23/04/87, Pr, Found hanged in Wakefield prison, Inquest verdict unknown

Nenneh Jalloh, Age unknown, 24/04/87, Po, Death by misadventure

Mohammed Parkit, 50, 01/05/87, Po, Open verdict

Anachu Osita, 28, 18/05/87, Pr, Natural causes aggravated by lack of care

Tunay Hassan, 25, 26/06/87, Po, Drug dependency aggravated by lack of care

John Ryan, 24, July 1987, Pr, Died in Winson Green hospital, 3 days after being admitted suffering from dehydration, had been seen drinking his own urine, Death by lack of care

Terence Brown, 35, August 1987, Ps, Open verdict

Anthony Mahony, 24, 19/08/87, Pr, Died almost naked in a strip cell in Brixton prison; had a history of mental illness, Natural causes aggravated by lack of care

Mark Ventour, Age unknown, 24/09/87, Po, Asphyxia caused by chewing gum in throat

Joseph Palombella, 40, October 1987, Po, Inquest verdict unknown

Femi Adelaja, 36, February 19, Pr, Died of a heart condition in a cell at Old Bailey; was denied treatment for sarcoidosis of the heart, Inquest verdict unknown

Samuel Carew, 22, 05/02/88, Pr, Killed himself in Brixton prison’s hospital wing, Suicide

Armando Belonia, Age unknown, 16/03/88, Pr, Died of pneumonia in locked hospital wing of
Wandsworth prison, Natural causes aggravated by lack of care

Bahader Singh, 26, 13/05/88, Pr, Died in India hours after leaving Barlinnie jail where he had suffered physical and racial abuse, Inquest verdict unknown

Oakley Ramsey, 25, June 1988, Po, Inquest verdict unknown

Kelroy Briscoe, 32, 20/06/88, Pr, Hanged himself in Wormwood Scrubs, Inquest verdict unknown

Joseph Watts, 30, 23/08/88, Ps, Accidental death

Derek Buchanan, 19, 04/09/88, Po, Drowning

Sajjan Atwal, 36, 04/09/88, Pr, Hanged himself in Winson Green; was a suicide risk and had made other attempts on his life, Lack of care – verdict was quashed and a new verdict recorded of suicide due to lack of care

Martin Richmond, 30, 04/12/88, Pr, Found hanged in Brixton prison, Open verdict

Wayne Tombison, Age unknown, December 88, Pr, Found hanged in Wandsworth prison, Inquest verdict unknown

David ‘Duke’ Daley, 44, February 1989, Po, Open verdict

Nicholas Bramble, 17, March 1989, Po, Accidental death

Vincent Graham, 40, July 1989, Po, Inquest verdict unknown

Jamie Stewart, 22, 02/07/89, Po, Death by misadventure due to excessive overdose of cocaine

Edwin Carr, 39, 12/07/89, Po, Inquest verdict unknown

Mr Romany, Age unknown, October 1989, Pr, Found dead in Chanings Wood prison; other prisoners said his screaming for a day and a night had been ignored, Inquest verdict unknown

Siho Iyugiven, 27, 05/10/89, Pr, Kurdish asylum seeker set himself alight in Harmondsworth detention centre after being refused asylum, Misadventure

Germain Alexander, Age unknown, 06/12/89, Pr, Died after being removed to strip cell in Brixton; had bruising all over his body, Natural causes aggravated by lack of care

Kimpua Nsimba, 24, 15/06/90, Pr, Zairean asylum-seeker found hanged in Harmondsworth detention centre; no-one had spoken to him in over 4 days, Suicide

Oliver Pryce, 30, 24/07/90, Po, Unlawful killing

Aslam Khan, 29, 12/10/90, Pr, Hanged himself while on remand in Brixton, Inquest verdict unknown

Edwin Robinson, 28, 30/11/90, Pr, A suicide risk with a psychotic illness hanged himself in Brixton prison, Killed himself because of lack of care

Delroy McKnight, 29, 19/01/91, Pr, Cut his own throat with glass from cell window and bled to death in Wandsworth prison, Killed himself while the balance of his mind was disturbed and death was contributed to by lack of care

Vandana Patel, 21, 29/04/91, Po, Died after being stabbed in DVU in Stoke Newington police station, Inquest verdict unknown

Kwaku Ohene, 30, 13/06/91, Pr, Had mental problems and committed suicide in hospital wing of Swaleside, Death aggravated by lack of care

Ian Gordon, 24, 12/08/91, Po, Psychiatric patient shot dead by Telford police, Lawful killing

Orville Blackwood, 31, 28/08/91, Ps, Died after being given injection of ‘calming’ drugs in secure unit at Broadmoor, Accidental death; on appeal to High Court by Orville’s family, verdict quashed and a verdict of accidental death recorded again

Omasase Lumumba, 32, 08/10/91, Pr, Died of a ‘heart attack’ while being ‘controlled and restrained’ by 6 guards in Pentonville, Unlawfully killed using improper methods and excessive force in the process of control and restraint

Arthur Allison, 50, 1992, Po, Died four days after being arrested by Leicester police, Inquest verdict unknown

Melita Crawford, 24, 03/01/92, Pr, Had mental problems and was found dead while on remand at Risley, Misadventure

Mark Fletcher, 21, 08/01/92, Ps, Detained under the Mental Health act and died in All Saints psychiatric hospital after being given an injection in his spine, Cardiac arrest

Munir Yusef Mojothi, 26, June 1992, Ps, Died of overdose in Clifton hospital after being given 2 injections of droperidol, Lack of care

Jerome Scott, 27, 23/06/92, Ps, Collapsed and died on the way to hospital in a police van after being given two injections, Therapeutic misadventure

Errol Commock, 24, 03/07/92, Pr, A known suicide risk committed suicide in hospital wing of Winson Green, Suicide

James Segawa, 28, 28/08/92, Pr, HIV+ asylum-seeker died in Belmarsh after officials refused to believe he was ill, Inquest verdict unknown

Ian Francis, 28, 05/09/92, Pr, Died of blood poisoning twelve days after injuring himself at Send prison, Death by natural causes

Leon Patterson, 32, 21/11/92, Po, Died while on remand at Stockport police station, Unlawful killing verdict was overturned in 1994 and changed to ‘Misadventure to which neglect contributed’

Nadeem Younus, 21, 04/12/92, Pr, Died of an overdose in little Hay prison after obtaining paracetamol tablets from the hospital, Open verdict

Randhir Showpal, 43, 19/12/92, Po, Died in Norbury police station after being detained under the Mental Health Act, Misadventure

Warren Jones, 26, 01/01/93, Pr, Found hanged in Leicester prison, Suicide

Adejare Akinbiyi, 30, 10/03/93, Pr, Died after suffering a succession of severe asthma attacks in
Belmarsh, Accidental death brought about by lack of care

Turan Pekoz, 43, 16/03/93, Pr, Died after setting himself alight in Quest House immigration centre (Croydon), Misadventure

Joy Gardner, 40, 01/08/93, Po, Died after being arrested by ‘specialist’ officers from the Extradition Unit of the Met; was gagged with 13 feet of tape, Inquest adjourned till trial of officers involved, officers later acquitted

Rupert Marshall, 29, 30/01/94, Ps, Died in Horton psychiatric hospital after being injected with an anti-psychotic drug, Inquest verdict unknown

Kwanele Siziba, 27, 27/04/94, Po, Fell 150 feet to her death, attempting to flee what she believed were immigration officials, Misadventure

Carl Owens, 22, 31/05/94, Pr, Died while on remand of a methadone OD in segregation unit of Brixton prison, Misadventure

O. Akinbobola, 24, 26/06/94, Pr, Found hanged in cell at Woodhill prison; had protested innocence and had gone on hunger strike, Suicide

Mark Harris, 31, 10/07/94, Po, Found hanged after arrested by Bristol police officers, Open verdict

Jonathan Weekes, Age unknown, 10/08/94, Ps, Died in Chase Farm hospital, Natural causes – pneumonia

Shkander Singh, 37, 19/09/94, Po, Died in Stewart Street police station (Glasgow); Had been heard shouting and crying in cell but was ignored, Heart Failure

Norman Manning, 26, 29/09/94, Pr, Stabbed to death by inmates in Long Lartin prison in November 1997, 41-year-old Frederick Low was convicted of Norman’s murder

Joseph Nnalue, 31, 23/10/94, Po, Died after falling from balcony in flat in Stockwell – police and immigration officials wee calling at his flat at the time, Accidental death

Tyrone Wilson, 34, 18/11/94, Po, Died 18 days after police were called to his flat in Ipswich, Inquest verdict unknown

Oluwashiji Lapite, 34, 16/12/94, Po, Died during a struggle with police officers from Stoke Newington police station, Unlawful Killing. In June 1998 the CPS reaffirmed its decision not to prosecute the officers involved.

Mark Holness, 28, 14/01/95, Pr, Found hanged in his cell at Whitemoor prison, Inquest verdict unknown

Lungile Simelane, 27, 06/05/95, Pr, Found hanged in her cell at Holloway prison, Inquest verdict unknown

Brian Douglas, 33, 08/05/95, Po, Died 8 days after being restrained with new batons by Clapham police officers, Misadventure

Dajin George, 26, 05/06/95, Ps, A schizophrenic died after falling 15 floors from a flat in Leyton, was meant to be under supervision by hospital staff, Inquest verdict unknown

Mohammed Massaquoi, 22, August 1995, Pr, Found hanged in his cell at Highdown prison, Inquest verdict unknown

Muttavel Vasanthan, 25, 25/08/95, Pr, Sri Lankan asylum seeker found hanged in his cell at Norwich prison, Inquest verdict unknown

Peter Williams, 19, 31/08/95, Pr, Found hanged in his cell at Aylesbury YOI, Inquest verdict unknown

Raja Khan, 24, 05/10/95, Pr, Found hanged in his cell at Mount prison, Inquest verdict unknown

Denis Stevens, 29, 18/10/95, Pr, Found dead in punishment block of Dartmoor prison; had been restrained in a body belt for 24 hours, Accidental death – December 1997, despite appeal to Court of appeal by family who wanted verdict of unlawful killing, coroner would not allow this, family boycotted resumed inquest

Brian Augustine, Age unknown, 30/10/95, Pr, Found hanged in his cell at Pentonville prison, Inquest verdict unknown

Kenneth Severin, 25, 26/11/95, Pr, Found dead in his cell at Bellmarsh after being restrained face down by 8 guards, Open verdict

Wayne Douglas, 25, 05/12/95, Po, Died in Brixton police station, Accidental death

Alton Manning, 33, 09/12/95, Pr, Died after being forcibly restrained by 8 guards at Blakenhurst (private) prison, Unlawful killing. In March 1999 the CPS decided not to prosecute the officers involved in his death, saying that there was no realistic prospect of obtaining a conviction

Newton White, 33, January 1996, Ps, Drowned in bath at Denis Hill Unit of Maudesley hospital, Open verdict

Noorjahan Begum, 35, 15/03/96, Po, Died after falling from balcony of flat where she was living; two immigration officials were calling at the flat at the time, Accidental death

Ibrahima Sey, 29, 16/03/96, Po, Died after being sprayed (while handcuffed) with CS spray in Ilford police station, Unlawful killing. In October 1998 the CPS decided that thare was not enough evidence to prosecute the officers involved in his death.

Ziya Bitirim, 47, April 96, Po, Died after collapsing and vomiting during his arrest, Accidental death

Donovan Williams, 36, April 96, Po, Died after collapsing in his cell during a search in Peckham police station, Accidental death

Dominic Otoo, 19, 22/05/96, Pr, Found dead in Hindley remand centre, Natural Causes

Ahmed El Gammal, 33, 13/8/96, Po, Died after struggling with police from Leyton police station, Inquest verdict unknown

Fred Tokunpor Akiyemi, 46, 4/10/96, Po, Died after falling from 5th floor of flat; Peckham police were calling at his flat at the time, Inquest verdict unknown

Veron Cowan, 32, October/November 1996, Ps, Died in secure unit of Blackberry Hill hospital, Natural Causes

George Bosie Davies, 36, 7/10/96, Po, Died in Marylebone police station after being arrested on suspicion of being drunk, Inquest verdict unknown

Oscar Okoye, 53, 11/11/96, Po, Died 5 months after being arrested by Streatham police on suspicion of being drunk, Natural causes

Herbert Gabbidon, 68, 10/01/97, Po, Died while in the custody of Walsall police who were deporting him back to Jamaica, Inquest verdict unknown

Peter Austin, 30, 30/01/97, Po, Found hanged in Brentford magistrates court, Lack of care contributed to accidental death

Ronnie Clarke, 38, 06/03/97, Pr, Found unconscious in cell at Wellingborough; taken to Kettering hospital where he died without regaining consciousness, Inquest verdict unknown

Abel Mukuna, 39, 12/03/97, Pr, Died in Greenwich hospital five days after being admitted from Belmarsh, Inquest verdict unknown

Marlon Downes, 20, 23/03/97, Po, Found hanged in cell of Harlesden police station, Open verdict

Peter San Pedro, 25, 3/04/97, Po, Died after walking into path of lorry hours after being arrested and sprayed with CS spray, Open verdict (December 98)

Lytton Shannon, 36, 1/05/97, Po, Collapsed and died after being arrested by Wolverhampton police, Inquest verdict unknown

Jason Sebastian, 23, 19/09/97, Pr, Found hanged in Belmarsh following 4 day segregation as punishment, Open verdict

Elliott Mitchell, 20, 26/02/98, Pr, Found hanged in Reading remand centre, Inquest verdict unknown

Christopher Alder, 37, 1/04/98, Po, Died after being arrested by Hull police; dragged to the station; placed on floor face down and handcuffed. In June 2002 a judge ordered the jury to clear 5 police officers charged with manslaughter and misconduct in public office charges because of conflicting evidence on how he died, Unanimous unlawful killing verdict

David Bennett, 38, 31/10/98, Ps, Died after being restrained face down for over 20 minutes by at least three nurses at the Norvic Clinic (Norwich), Accidental death aggravated by neglect; coroner made six recommendations

Patrick Louis, Age unknown, 2/11/98, Po, Died in the custody of Plumstead police who arrested him for being drunk and incapable, Inquest verdict unknown

Roger Sylvester, 30, 18/01/99, Po, Died 7 days after being restrained by police in Tottenham, Inquest verdict unknown

Robert Allotey, 37, 24/01/99, Po, Collapsed and died after being arrested by Wolverhampton police, Inquest verdict unknown

Paul Jemmott, Age unknown, 3/05/99, Pr, Attempted suicide by hanging at Aylesbury YOI and died five days later in hospital, Inquest verdict unknown

Leon Marshall, Age unknown, 15/07/99, Po, Died in hospital two days after being arrested for drugs related offences; officers were aware he had swallowed drugs but failed to take him to hospital, Accidental death

Spencer Weston, 21, 8/99, Po, Died after being hit by a car during a police chase. Spencer was involved in a fight in Leicester city centre between black and white youths and suffered head injuries from a racist attack. Chased by police wanting to make an arrest, he received fatal injuries after falling in the path of a passing car. The inquest into his death in May 2003 recorded a narrative verdict that
‘Spencer James Weston received fatal multiple injuries when he was hit by a motor car. At the time of the road traffic collision the deceased had evidence of MDMA (Ecstasy) at a concentration of 66 milligrams per litre and quite high levels of alcohol in his blood. He had also been seen a few minutes prior to the collision to run from the scene of a public order disturbance, with a head injury of unknown severity. The head injury, together with the alcohol and ecstasy, may have impaired his judgement.’

Sarah Thomas (aka Lai Hong Cheng), 34, 6/08/99, Po, Died in hospital two days after collapsing in
Stoke Newington police station, Inquest verdict unknown

Ertan Uzan, 25, 14/12/99, Pr, Found hanged in his cell in Brixton prison, Inquest verdict unknown

Mr. Benmerabet, 42, 3/1/00, Po, Algerian Mr. Benmerabet collapsed outside the Atomics nightclub in Kent; Kent police were called to assist the ambulance service but deny restraint was used, Inquest verdict unknown

Asif Dad, 26, 16/1/00, Po, Died in the custody of Chelmsford police; according to the police, Asif was arrested after they were called to a disturbance in the street and he collapsed and died after a struggle, Inquest verdict unknown

Robertas Grabys, 49, 24/1/00, Pr, Lithuanian asylum-seeker hanged himself at Harmondsworth detention centre, Inquest verdict unknown

Keita Craig, Age unknown, 1/02/00, Pr, Suffered with mental health problems; took his own life in Wandsworth prison, Killed himself while the balance of his mind was disturbed. February 2001 – High Court orders new inquest after judicial review of the verdict. New inquest in October 2001 finds the same verdict but adds a rider that neglect was a contributory factor to the death.

Zahid Mubarek, 19, 23/3/00, Pr, Victim of a racist attack in his cell at Feltham Young Offenders Institute; he was just 12 hours from being released; the attack left Zahid with massive head injuries and he died five days later, His assailant, his cellmate, 19-year-old Robert Joseph Stewart, was jailed for life for his murder in November 2000

Edita Pommel, 20, 5/5/00, Pr, Edita Pommel was found hanged in HMP Brockhill; she had complained about racial harassment from a prison officer; her death is now the source of an investigation being carried out by West Mercia police, Inquest verdict unknown

Cheryl Simone Hartman, Age unknown, 18/6/00, Pr, Cheryl was found hanged in her cell at Holloway Prison; Cheryl had a history of mental illness and had asked to go to prison for medical help, Open verdict

Sultan Khan, 50, 30/6/00, Po, Died after being restrained by police officers in Clarence Park, St Albans. He had just left a nearby mosque and was restrained using handcuffs and leg restraints. The PCA press release commented that he had been arrested for drugs offences. The inquest into his death opened in November 2001.

Rashid Kausmally, 48, 1/01, Pr, A Mauritian found dead in the hospital wing of Lewes Prison. He had been charged with rape and robbery offences committed in Brighton. He was a known suicide risk and died after putting a plastic bag over his head – suffocating to death.

Eugene Edigin, 19, 3/01, Psy, He attended the psychiatric unit at the Whittington hospital and was detained the day before his death under the Mental Health Act because of ‘erratic behaviour’. The following day he was found unconscious in his bed. The inquest in February 2003 recorded an open verdict. His family were critical of staff who, they allege, failed to monitor his diabetes.

Derek Bennett, Age unknown, 16/7/01, Po, Shot dead in the street by Brixton police who alleged they were called by a member of the public; Derek was carrying a novelty lighter shaped like a gun, Inquest verdict unknown

Michelle Allen, Age unknown, 2/11/01, Pr, Found hanged at Barking magistrates court; The company responsible for prisoners – Securicor Custodial Services – refused to comment, Inquest verdict unknown

Ricky Bishop, Age unknown, 22/11/01, Po, Taken to Brixton police station to be searched where he was restrained; then taken to Kings College hospital where he died, Inquest verdict unknown

Jospeh Crensil, Age unknown, 25/11/01, Po, Died after falling from a third floor window of a flat in Streatham; two immigration and two police officers were questioning five other men at the flat; Jospeh – who was hiding in the bathroom – tried to escape and fell to his death, Inquest verdict unknown

Nariman Tahamasbi, 27, 25/2/02, Pr, Found hanged in Lewes prison, he was serving a six-month sentence, for fraud and deception.

Marcus Downie, 21, 11/5/02, Pr, Found hanged in Chelmsford prison.

Lee Duvall, 23, 14/08/02, Po, Found dead in Ladywell police station a day after his arrest.

Fosta Errol Thompson, Age unknown, 15/08/02, Po, Shot dead by police in St. Werbergh’s area of Bristol, Inquest verdict unknown

Kwame Sasu Wiredu, Age unknown, 30/08/02, Po, Arrested and taken to Stoke Newington police station where he complained of stomach pains; a doctor claimed he was fit enough to be detained; he was later found collapsed in his cell and died in Homerton hospital, Inquest verdict unknown

Beverley Fowler, 32, 2/10/02, Pr, Found hanged, two days before the end of her sentence, in Durham prison. She was a mother of three from Jamaica who was due to be deported back there after serving a sentence for drug smuggling. In September 2003, an inquest recorded an open verdict. The inquest was told she feared for her safety back in Kingston; the man who forced her into drug smuggling had murdered her partner.

Stuart Warwick, 29,16/1/03, Pr, Died from burns in HMP Winchester.

Mihail Bognarchuk, 42, 31/1/03, Pr, Ukrainian asylum seeker found hanged at Haslar removal centre.

Sponford Antonio Green, 43, 27/3/03, Po, Died after falling from the thirteenth floor balcony of the flat where he was staying. The inquest jury recorded a narrative verdict that ‘he accidentally fell from the 13th floor whilst trying to evade custody.’ Police were calling at his flat to arrest him for a breach of licence. According to his girlfriend, Antonio fled to the balcony (as he had on previous occasions when the police called) but was surprised to find police offices waiting on the neighbouring balcony. She also commented that ‘one of the officers grabbed hold of him on the shoulder. I didn’t know whether he was pulling Antonio back or pushing him over.’

Adel Muftah El-Hage, 29,16/3/03, Pr, Found electrocuted at Woodhill (category A) prison. Adel, a Libyan, was on remand after being arrested and charged in February 2003 with the murder of his wife, Salma Abusedra. At pre-trial hearings he had begged the judge to send him to Saudi Arabia so that he could face the death penalty, but had been refused.

Patrick Okello, 32, 21/5/03, Pr, found hanged at Wandsworth.

Rajwinder Singh Mutti, 29/3/03, Pr, Found hanged in Blakenhurst (private) prison where he was on remand for a charge of GBH. Rajwinder, an asylum seeker, had been in the UK for a few years and was granted indefinite leave to remain.

Ertal Hussein, 32, 21/6/03, Psy, Found collapsed at Bethlem Royal hospital, he was taken to Princes Royal University hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Since 1990, Ertal had been sectioned several times. A police investigation is ongoing and the hospital has launched an internal inquiry.

Tema Kombe (aka Emmanuel Silva/ Gladwell Moseki Keenao), 32, 4/9/03, Psy, A Ugandan asylum seeker was found hanged in the toilet of a psychiatric ward at Heatherwood hospital, Ascot. In January 2004, an inquest returned a verdict of misadventure after hearing that he had made three previous attempts on his life.

Iqbal Shamraz, 35, 5/9/03, Pr, Found hanged at Nottingham prison.

Michael Powell, 38, 7/9/03, Po, Died after being arrested by police in Lozell’s, Birmingham. The police were called by his family after he began behaving erratically. During the course of the struggle to restrain him, Michael was knocked over by a police car and then, according to witnesses, restrained by police using batons and CS spray. Six officers were suspended.

Mohammed bin Duhri, 20, 20/10/03, Pr, Palestinian asylum seeker found hanged at Belmarsh maximum security prison. He had been held at Dover Immigration Removal Centre but after he allegedly assaulted a guard he was moved to Belmarsh. Three prison officers were suspended after they allegedly filed reports saying he was alive and well when he was already dead.

Paul Yorke, 38, 2/11/03, Po, died after being arrested by police officers at Terminal Two of Heathrow airport. He was taken to Heathrow police station where he was charged with being a ‘prohibited person’ (it is alleged that he had been banned from airport property) and then detained in a cell. He was, according to police, seen by a Forensic Medical Examiner on at least three occasions and deemed fit for detention. However, the following day, officers called an ambulance at 7.00 am after he was found collapsed in his cell. He was taken to Hillingdon hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Police Complaints Authority and the Directorate of Professional Standards are investigating his death.

Liang He, 23, 10/11/03, Pr, Found hanged at Bedford prison.