THE prisons and probation ombudsman has said that reception staff at Durham prison did not “properly assess the risk of suicide and self-harm” after a Cumbrian prisoner took his own life.

Glen Adrian, 27, was found dead in his cell at HMP Durham on March 8, 2023. He had been sentenced to a ten-month stint in prison for breaching a sexual order on February 21.

The report said that Mr Adrian began banging his head against the inside of the escort van on the way to prison. 

The van was diverted to HMP Durham so that he could receive medical attention. A nurse checked him and found only a superficial abrasion. 

In the weeks before his death, nurses noted his history of ill mental health, but mistakes on his medical records made them believe Mr Adrian was already being seen by suicide and self-harm specialists, according to the report. 

Mr Adrian, originally from Cumbria, whose past offences included rape, secretly downloaded dating apps on his phone and then deleted them.

This put him in breach of a strict sexual harm prevention order, Carlisle Crown Court heard in February 2023.

The order had been imposed by a judge after Mr Adrian was convicted of raping a female and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

An inquest this week has concluded that Mr Adrian's death was suicide. 

In a report, the ombudsman raised concerns over staff not properly assessing Mr Adrian when he first arrived but concluded that staff ‘could not have foreseen his actions.

“Mr Glen Adrian was found hanged in his cell on March 8 2023 at HMP Durham,” said Adrian Usher from the prisons and probation ombudsman in the report.

“He was 27 years old. I offer my condolences to Mr Adrian’s family and friends.

“Mr Adrian was the seventh prisoner to take his life at Durham in three years and the fourth in four months.

“Yet again we found that reception staff did not properly assess the risk of suicide and self-harm when Mr Adrian arrived at Durham.

“However, it was another seven weeks before Mr Adrian took his life.

“He gave no indication to staff during that time that he was at risk of suicide.

“We are satisfied that staff could not have foreseen his actions.”

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