Terror suspect took his own life in jail - inquest

Benjamin Hyland was found dead shortly after being remanded in HMP Leeds in December 2022

A terror suspect said to have been inspired by Guy Fawkes took his own life in prison shortly after his arrest, an inquest has ruled.

Benjamin Hyland's body was found in his cell at HMP Leeds on 11 December 2022, after he had been charged with 11 offences under the Terrorism Act.

The 29-year-old had been accused of buying chemicals with the intention of producing explosives and trying to make a 3D-printed gun.

On Tuesday, a jury at Wakefield Coroner's Court returned a unanimous verdict of suicide in the case.

The inquest had earlier been told that Mr Hyland, who grew up in Devon but moved to Leeds in his early 20s, had been arrested on 2 December 2022.

He spent seven days in custody before being charged and then remanded to HMP Leeds.

At an initial court hearing after his arrest, prosecutors said Mr Hyland was believed to have been "gathering information and material to advance his terrorist ideology of seeking to defeat the government" and had "praised Guy Fawkes for his use of gunpowder".

The jury recorded a conclusion of suicide at Wakefield Coroner's Court

In a statement read out at the inquest on Monday, his partner said he "would not have been able to cope" in prison, adding: "I found out that social services had told Ben he wasn't allowed to speak to the children due to the emotional effect this might have on them.

"I think that this was the final straw for Ben."

The inquest was told that despite deliberately banging his head against his cell door while in custody on 7 December, Mr Hyland was not deemed to have been at high risk of self-harm.

The jury heard that the suspect told prison staff at HMP Leeds that the incident had been isolated and borne out of frustration at his treatment while in custody.

Mr Hyland, who was said to have insisted he had no thoughts or intention to self-harm again, was detained in a cell by himself because of the nature of his charges.

Directing the jury ahead of their deliberations, area coroner Oliver Longstaff told them the evidence indicated suicide was the "only appropriate conclusion" in the case.

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