02/04/2008
The inquest into the death of 26 year old Vicky Robinson in HMP New Hall, West Yorkshire, in 2005 is due to start on Monday 12th April 2008 and is listed for 2 weeks.
Vicky Robinson's case was featured in an article published in the Observer last weekend (30/03/2008) :
Sick and suicidal: plight of women in UK jails. Most women prisoners have mental health problems, and nine of out 10 were convicted of non-violent offences. Now a new study shows an alarming rise in suicides and self-harm - and behind the statistics lie ruined lives and shattered relatives. With four inquests about to open, Amelia Hill reports on the growing scandal in Britain's penal system.
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/mar/30/prisonsandprobation.mentalhealth
................................................................................................................................
The following extract about Vicky Robinson is taken directly from the above article:
"Vicky Robinson, 26, was the fourth woman to kill herself at HMP New Hall in 10 months.
Robinson was diagnosed with personality disorder, depression and a history of hallucinatory voices. She had had difficulties with drugs and alcohol, and had been in prison once before her admission to HMP New Hall in November 2004.
She had a long history of self-harm and suicide attempts. She frequently self-harmed by ligaturing and would often say this was to try to get rid of the voices. Following admission to HMP New Hall, she was held in the segregation unit at her own request. She had self-harmed previously in prison and remained on the prison self-harm/suicide monitoring procedure.
During December 2004 and January 2005 Robinson was plagued with voices and there were concerns she was not eating. She continued to self-harm, most often by ligature. She was found dead, hanged in her cell, on 2 February 2005.
Anne Owers, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, had admitted the previous year that HMP New Hall was holding women and girls who should not be there. She said there was an urgent need to provide an alternative therapeutic environment where appropriate treatment and support could be offered to vulnerable women prisoners.
Despite this warning, two of the three women who died in 2004 had histories of self-harm and extensive contact with psychiatric services.
The inquest into the death of Vicky Robinson opens at Wakefield Coroner's Court on 7 April and is expected to last 12 days."
................................................................................................................................
The family of Vicky Robinson are being represented by barrister Nick Stanage from Garden Court North Chambers, Manchester, instructed by INQUEST Lawyer’s Group member Fiona Borrill of Lester Morrill Solicitors , Leeds.
> 15/4/08 - Self harm high at women's prison (BBC News)
> For more information on INQUEST go to www.inquest.org.uk