Prison deaths had 'massive impact' on staff

Craig Anderson was found unresponsive in his cell in November 2022

Ten prison officers have left their jobs due the "massive impact" three deaths in custody over a three-year period had on them, an inquest has heard.

Craig Anderson, 28, who was found unresponsive in his cell on the morning of 25 November 2022, was the second of the inmates to be found dead at the Isle of Man Prison between March 2020 and February 2023.

Deputy prison governor Martin Phillips said some officers had "really struggled to do the morning count" because that was when each of the deaths had been discovered.

He said the prison had 15 vacancies at the beginning of the year, and the present "reduced staffing levels" were in part due to that.

Douglas Courthouse heard, as well as Mr Anderson in 2022, Kaan Douglas had been found dead at the prison in March 2020 and Christopher Corkill died in February 2023.

There have been three deaths at the Isle of Man Prison since 2020

Deemster Graeme Cook previously questioned whether receiving a sentence could be seen as a potential "trigger point" for prisoners, and if they should automatically be put under observations.

But Mr Phillips said a widespread policy could be "detrimental" to some prisoners where that was not the case, as it would mean that they were woken up throughout the night.

The inquest heard that the new prisoner self-harm risk management policy, Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT), went into "more depth" in identifying trigger points for prisoners, including sentencing, anniversaries and birthdays.

The assessment replaced the previous folder five system, which had been in place at the time of Mr Anderson's death.

Mr Phillips said the prison authorities were "aware of the shortcomings of the folder five", which was why the new system had been adopted.

Prison governor Leroy Bonnick said he recognised "more needs to be done" in terms of the mental health support provided at the prison.

He said, while there was now a part-time mental health nurse working at the prison, a role which had not been in place at the time of Mr Anderson's death, he was looking to double that support.

The inquest at Douglas Courthouse continues.