Inmate who took own life said he'd never be released

A coroner said in her report that prison officers did not check on Sean Davies as they should have

A man who took his own life while serving an indeterminate prison sentence at a Kent jail had said he saw no chance of ever being released, a coroner has found.

Sean Davies died overnight in his cell at HMP Swaleside, Sheppey, in February 2023.

Coroner Patricia Harding said in a prevention of future death report that prison officers failed to carry out roll call and welfare checks on Mr Davies in line with national guidance.

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Sean Davies.”

Mr Davies was sentenced to an Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence in 2012, with a minimum sentence of seven years, later reduced to five years.

An IPP is used to jail violent offenders for an unlimited time, until a parole board decides they are no longer a threat to the public.

IPPs were introduced in 2005 but scrapped in December 2012 because they were seen to be unfair.

Mr Davies was sentenced the month before they were abolished.

'Risk factor'

In 2023, then-deputy prime minister Dominic Raab ruled out re-sentencing all those still in prison on IPP sentences who had served their minimum term, to give them a fixed release date.

Mr Davies, who died aged 30, said in a note that he hoped his death would help that decision to be changed.

He said he saw no chance of ever being released.

Ms Harding said it was clear from CCTV that prison and support officers did not check on Mr Davies as often as they should have in the hours before his death.

There are still 55 prisoners serving IPP sentences at HMP Swaleside.

Since Mr Davies died, the Prison and Probation Ombudsman has said an IPP sentence should be treated as a potential risk factor for suicide or self-harm.

The MoJ spokesperson added: “The Lord Chancellor is committed to working with organisations and campaign groups to ensure the appropriate course of action is taken to support those still serving rightfully abolished IPP sentences.

“We will consider the findings of this report in due course.”