Inquest Reveals Inmate Was “Let Down by Prison” System

An inquest was informed that an inmate was repeatedly “ignored” by the correctional system prior to his discovery deceased in his cell. Anthony Binfield, aged 30, passed away at HMP Lowdham Grange on 6 March 2023. This marked the initial fatality among three inmates within weeks following the prison’s transition to management by the private provider, Sodexo. During proceedings at Nottingham Coroner’s Court on Tuesday, the inquest learned that he had been “found under the influence of drugs a number of times in prison.” Lynda Hurren, Binfield’s aunt, testified that he had been attempting to secure a transfer to an alternative correctional facility to avoid bullying from fellow inmates. Ms. Hurren informed the court that Binfield had been incarcerated in various prisons during his adult life, and had “experienced lots of problems with bullying,” some of which were connected to outstanding debts and drug consumption. She stated that she routinely contacted prisons to arrange support for him but believed he did not receive the necessary assistance, asserting that all the different institutions “should have known” about his vulnerability to bullying and self-harm. Binfield commenced his incarceration at Lowdham Grange on 24 August 2021. Ms. Hurren indicated that she initially endorsed this transfer, having learned about prisoner support programs operating at the Category B facility. She stated, “I read that it was a private prison, which I thought meant that it would have more money.” She continued, “Soon after Anthony arrived, [the situation] deteriorated… it seemed to me like the prison couldn’t cope with him, and often didn’t care.” His pre-existing debts accompanied him to the prison, she testified, and he persisted in experiencing issues with bullying. “At times, Anthony tried to get help for himself, but he often felt that he wasn’t given the help that he needed and he was [being] let down,” she recounted. Binfield spent a brief period at a different correctional facility from 23 September 2022 to be closer to his family. However, Ms. Hurren stated that she was unable to visit him in person due to Covid and other health concerns. He went back to Lowdham Grange in November and requested re-categorization as a Category C prisoner, which would allow him to transfer to another jail. Ms. Hurren, however, stated that his request was denied. She further stated that he was “devastated” by this information, and his mental health “deteriorated the most” at that juncture. Ms. Hurren reported that she was informed of his death on 7 March by a family liaison officer representing Sodexo. Sodexo had assumed control of the prison from Serco on 16 February, marking the initial transfer of a correctional facility between private providers. She recounted that the liaison officer had informed the family Binfield did not leave a note. However, in January, she discovered through a report that he had indeed left a message for his family, which also contained instructions for his funeral. A redacted version of the note has been provided to her solicitors, she confirmed. Ms. Hurren stated that she “felt like I was ignored” by Lowdham Grange in her attempts to secure assistance for her nephew. She also expressed being “so sad” upon learning of the fatalities of two additional men – David Richards on 13 March and Rolandas Karbauskas on 25 March – in the subsequent weeks. The court was informed that a post-mortem examination determined Binfield’s death resulted from hanging. A toxicology examination subsequently detected two strains of synthetic cannabinoids in his bloodstream. Stephen Morley, a consultant chemical pathologist, explained that the challenges in detecting Spice, owing to the continuously evolving chemical composition, prevented him from determining the quantity Binfield had ingested or the timing of its consumption. However, he noted that Binfield may have been under the influence of the drug at the time of his death. Although Spice possesses potentially fatal properties, Dr. Morley indicated that he did not consider it to have directly contributed to Binfield’s demise. He further stated that the use of synthetic cannabinoids was “quite rife in the prison system” nationwide, where it could be consumed by smoking, vaping, or ingesting it as a liquid. The inquest, which is concurrently investigating the deaths of Binfield, Karbauskas, and Richards, remains ongoing.