Inquest resumes into death of inmate at prison

Christopher Corkill was found unresponsive in his cell on 24 February 2023

An inquest into the death of an inmate at the Isle of Man Prison has resumed at Douglas Courthouse.

Christopher Corkill, 46, was found unresponsive in his prison cell at the facility in Jurby on the morning of 24 February 2023.

Coroner of Inquests Graeme Cook told the jury that Mr Corkill was the third prisoner to die at the facility since 2021.

Prison officers who were on duty said that despite Mr Corkill being under a self-harm risk management policy in the past, no concerns had been raised about his welfare at the time of his death.

The court heard Mr Corkill had been jailed in July the previous year for drugs offences.

He was last seen watching TV between 20:15 and 20:30 BST on 23 February during an evening check by prison officer Tara Scott.

Mr Corkill was found unresponsive in his cell during the following morning's medication run at about 07:55 BST.

The court heard the 46-year-old had likely been dead for several hours when he was found.

'Low risk'

As no recent concerns had been raised and Mr Corkill had not been under a self-risk management system - known as a folder five - since the previous summer when he was first taken into prison custody, he had not been checked on through the night.

A number of prison officers who had been on duty during the period told the court they had been "shocked" to hear of his death.

Former custody support officer Andrew Walton said he was "of the opinion that he would have been a very low risk of harm to himself".

Mr Corkill's partner of three years, Lisa Barnett, said he had a history of mental illness, health issues relating to his heart, and was a drug user.

She said he had told her during a telephone conversation that he had not been seen by a doctor "for some time".

Ms Barnett told the hearing he had told her he felt the prison service "wrote him off" because of his drug use.

She said she had last spoken to him on 22 February and the conversation had been "as normal", and she had told him that she "loved him even though I was not in love with him" and he had "told me he loved me too".

But she told the hearing she did not intend to end the relationship, adding: "I loved him, I kept him safe... isn't prison meant to be even safer?"

The inquest continues.