A JURY has called for change to protect vulnerable inmates after a prisoner was found hanging in his cell.

An inquest into the death of HMP Durham prisoner, Garry Beadle, heard he had died at the University Hospital of North Durham on February 11, 2019 from the affects of a brain injury sustained on February 7, 2019.

In a concluding verdict the jury said that Mr Beadle intended to take his own life.

The inquest heard he had a history of depression following the death of his daughter and had expressed feelings of low mood and anxiety which he repeatedly raised in the prison.

The jury’s narrative conclusion into his death read: "Mr Beadle died of a hypoxic brain injury due to cardiac respiratory arrest due to hanging.

"Matters we found contributed to his death include, stating repeatedly as recorded in the prison self harm warning form his intention of suicide, previous recent suicide attempts recorded in the suicide harm warning form and in the concerns and keep safe assessment interview.

“Matters we find possibly contributed to death include a needed improvement in detailed record keeping and information sharing and inconsistent training across the prison service.”

At the time of his death, the 36-year-old was in custody on remand and had only been at HMP Durham for six days.

He was the first of four men to die a self-inflicted death in HMP Durham in 2019 and there have been a further four self-inflicted deaths in 2020.

Mr Beadle was born in London, raised in Watford and moved to Newcastle where he lived for 12 years.

He had five children, one of whom tragically died at four-weeks-old.

His family has described him as being a loving and mischievous child, who was never happier when he had his football boots on.

Mr Beadle was an important and influential member of his football team, Oxhey Jets.

The team has named a stand after him in remembrance.

Following Mr Beadle’s death an independent clinical review took place analysing the care he received in prison.

Assistant coroner for County Durham and Darlington, Oliver Longstaff, said he would not make a report detailing recommendations.

He said: “The evidence I’ve heard suggests that the lessons necessary to be learned from Mr Beadle’s death are in the process of being addressed.”

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