Quentin acts in Coroner’s Inquest on behalf of family of deceased Prison Officer. Coroner orders Secretary of State for Prisons to produce a ‘Report to prevent future deaths’.

Quentin Hunt, instructed by Borneo Martell LLP Solicitors, acted on behalf of the family of Miss KH, a Prison Officer who took her own life while in employment at HMP Bedford.

KH was not at work at the time that she took her life, but her family were very critical of what they saw as the many failings of the prison service to secure her physical and mental health during her employment at the HMP Bedford. The family alleged that the prison service failed to adequately support her following a previous suicide attempt, had mismanaged her and had contributed to her mental decline due to failures in their administration of disciplinary proceedings and holiday entitlement.

The above matters were strongly denied by representatives of the Prison Service and these considerations came to be matters in issue at a Coroner’s Inquest held at Milton Keynes Coroner’s Court. At the inquest, witnesses from the Prison Service gave evidence and were asked challenging questions by Quentin in an effort to highlight the deficiencies in the practices and working environment for staff at the prison.

At the conclusion of the inquest, Quentin submitted to the Coroner that he could properly order a Report on Action to Prevent Future Deaths. Coroners have a duty not just to decide how somebody came by their death but also, where appropriate, to report about that death with a view to preventing future deaths. As the coroner’s guidance states: “A bereaved family wants to be able to say: ‘His death was tragic and terrible, but at least it shouldn’t happen to somebody else.’” Such a report is ordered, where appropriate, under paragraph 7, Schedule 5, of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 with 2009 Act and Regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013.

At the conclusion of the KH inquest, the Coroner agreed with Quentin’s submissions. He ordered that the Secretary of State for Prisons produce a Report on Action to Prevent Future Deaths. Importantly, such was the extent of the concerns raised in the case; the Corner ordered that his report cover not only Bedford Prison but the whole of the National Prison Estate.

Quentin Hunt is a Barrister who specialises in representing parties’ interests at Coroner’s inquests. He acts on behalf of parties to the inquest and interest parties and specialises in making sure that his client’s voices are heard. Quentin can be instructed through Solicitors or can accept instructions directly. You may contact Quentin for a confidential, no obligation conversation about any Inquest case.