Call for corporate manslaughter charge against the prison service after inquest
My Two children and they’ll never get to meet him say hi but I’ll tell them how much that he would have love them Henny fenlon’s dad Robert never lived to see his daughter become a mother or meet the baby she named after him I remember he loved books and history and I know that he loved me loads Henny’s dad Robert was on remand for stealing at hmp Woodhill in Milton ke in March 2016 when she heard he’d been taken to hospital he was on life support after hanging himself in his cell she was just 14 I remember it like yesterday I remember I was at my friend’s house and my mom rang me and said your dad’s in hospital but she didn’t say why and then she rang back and said why so see I’ve got up and I was panicking went straight home got a taxi to mil King’s hospital and they said we need to turn his machine off and I think I I didn’t want to at all no saying no to the nurses Robert fenlon who was 36 with a long history of mental health and addiction problems may have taken his own life but a catalog of devastating failings by prison staff has now led to an unprecedented conclusion from an inquest jury that his death in a statun prison amounted to an unlawful killing the charity inquest has been supporting the family through the long wait for answers we’ve often said that state neglect kills and the significance of the unlawful killing conclusion of this jury should sh send shock waves across the prison service and it should make prison um ministers and the Secretary of State look very very carefully at what is happening in our prisons the jury was told there were a series of self-inflicted deaths at Woodhill before Robert fenon died and concluded there were serious failures by the prison to implement recommendations to better protect vulnerable prisoners like Robert on the 26th of February Robert fenlon passes a note under his cell door saying he’s in total Despair and considering suicide a safety plan is put in place but on the 3D of March he’s found with a ligature in his cell he should have been put under constant supervision he wasn’t the next day he’s found again this time tied up with the ligature no change to his level of risk is recorded and on the fifth he’s found hanging and unresponsive in his cell the jury was told how one senior officer having been told Robert fenland had tried to hang himself finished his lunch before going to see him and then took no further action to keep him him safe another was found to have lied the inquest exposed a culture of neglect at Woodhill and an inability to look after at risk prisoners but this is not a problem consigned to history in the past decade 28 men have taken their own lives here the latest in November despite a series of Highly critical inquests damning inspection reports and reviews many many recommendations have still not been implemented last year the Chief Inspector of Prisons issued an urgent notification about Woodhill saying it was an unsafe prison with the highest rates of self harm in all men’s jails the response from prison leaders he said was simply inadequate well I’m going to go now Babs be good for your M please and be nice to her and don’t be cheeky love you Daddy we first met Henny 8 years ago just after her father had died a bereaved teen teer crying out for change you need to look after the prisoners better and if they’re feeling down get them to talk to someone but they on a suicide watch watch them 24/7 cuz it’s not them that have to deal with everything at the end of the day it’s me I’m the only thing really is Left Behind do you believe from what you now know that your father’s death could have been prevented yeah could have been prevented so many different ways it could have been prevented you just think why didn’t you help him why why did you leave him with things that could harm him in his cell I just think why have that job you know what the job’s about you have to look after them and care for them and you just not doing that I don’t understand why go get a different job after such a damning inquest conclusion the hope now for family and campaigners is that it will find lead to some accountability what I think it shows is the utter culture of contempt and complacency towards these avoidable deaths that are taking place in the care of the state where the state has a duty to protect life and in my view the shocking conclusion that has come out of this inquest should result in a corporate manslaughter prosecution because the lack of accountability is unacceptable and it is Criminal a prison service spokesperson said our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Robert fenlon we will consider the findings of the coroner’s report and will respond with our actions in due course put them first because that’s somebody’s dad somebody’s son somebody body’s brother and they are people that who are loved and they wasn’t given a death sentence they were just giv a prison sentence so yeah Rob camera Henny’s had to learn to live with the fact her baby will never know his granddad she’d like to be sure Woodhill and all prisons will learn the lessons from her father’s death and on that she’s not convinced well I spoke earlier to the former Direct director general of England and wales’s prison service Phil Wheatley and I started by asking him who should be held accountable for Robert fenland’s death well the inquest has enabled the facts to be revealed and for the coroner to direct the jury and jury to come to a conclusion uh the accountability for crime is obviously a matter for the police and the prosecution authorities I do know about the general background at Woodhill which has been very difficult for running a stable prison uh really from 2015 onwards and since then it has slid inspection by inspection review by review uh with the underlying problem being that they’ve never been able to recruit enough staff to run the place properly and safely exactly and safely the family the inquest has now ruled contributed to the death of this prisoner running a prison safely is always crucial and never to be underestimated and you run safe prisons by having a stable regime that gives prisoners enough choice and enough activity to break up their time to make to make their imprisonment feel bearable enough interventions to deal with the many problems that prisoners bring and that includes substance abuse problems and mental health problems and enough specialist staff to provide the support that those prisoners will need there were there were a series of self-inflicted deaths at Woodhill before Robert fenland died there’ve been deaths afterwards there are huge questions for the whole prison State about the lack of accountability when something like this goes wrong who takes responsibility no prison will be safe unless it has sufficient staff and sufficient experience staff will know what they’re doing if that isn’t provided and that is largely a matter of resourcing It’s a combination of resourcing and the amount of demand the number of prisoners who turn up if that doesn’t happen no prisoner would no prison will be safe and that requires the government to Resource prisons to a level that can make them safe and that hasn’t happened and that isn’t happening across a number of prisons and I’m asking is the minister appearing on this program uh probably not and you probably haven’t managed to get a minister to appear in the program because there’s a reluctance to actually deal with the problem of resourcing and I understand the problem it’s the time of austerity and difficulty but really locking people up should be done done properly and needs to be properly resourced and you you come back to exactly that point about um accountability about who takes responsibility for this now campaigners are calling for corporate manslaughter charges to be brought against the prison service because of what happened at Wood Hill that would force accountability wouldn’t it do you think that that is what I wouldn’t like to judge that I know I don’t know how that would work it hasn’t been done before I do know that the prison service doesn’t decide what its resources are they are given as a result of government ministerial decisions and I do know the prison service doesn’t decide on sentencing policy and how many prisoners are going to come that again is a result of ministerial and political uh decisions and changes in the law as when going through the parliament at the moment and so I’m not sure how you get accountability from the prison service for things that they aren’t responsible for would you take the job at Woodhill I wouldn’t take the job at Woodhill at the moment I think any governor who took on Woodhill the moment would find that they were struggling to recruit staff and couldn’t make it safe though to be fair the government uh and ministers have agreed this I understand have agreed that there will be some temporary reduction in the number of prisoners that would hell Robert fenlon’s daughter talks about an inability to see prisoners as fathers Sons Brothers people who are loved people who deserve proper care I started my service as a young prison officer in 1969 the days of slopping out in lead’s prison when it was grossly overcrowded uh and nothing happened except prisoners got exercised once a day that was about the height of it and prisoner staff at leads at that time formed the opinion prisoners were fairly worthless people because the system treated them as though they were you have to make the system treat them properly and have the ability to do that if you want to have staff who understand that they’ve got a much more sophisticated role to play than just being custodians locking people up and learn to get involved with prisoners and to understand them and you also need to have a steady staff who stay there long enough to know the prisoners and gain the respect to prisoners uh and gain respect from prisoners Bill weatley thank you very much for talking to us
There are calls for the prison service to face a corporate manslaughter prosecution following the self-inflicted death of a man in a troubled jail with a history of failing vulnerable prisoners. Robert Fenlon died at HMP Woodhill in March 2016 – a prison where 28 men have killed themselves in the last decade.
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In an unprecedented conclusion, the jury at his inquest found he was “unlawfully killed by gross negligence manslaughter”. Speaking exclusively to Channel 4 News, his daughter says such a damning finding must lead to change.
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33 comments
انَا اختكمَ مَن اليمَن وّالَلَه ماتكلمتَ الَا من جوّع وًّمن الفقر انَا وًّامَيَ وًّخَوًّاتَيَ تَشَرَدَنَا مَنَ بَيَوًّتَنَا بَسَبَبَ الَحَرَبَ نَحَنَ فَيَ حَالَهَ لَايَعَلَمَ بَهَا الَا الَلَهَ حَسَبَنَا الَلَهَ وًّنَعَمَ الَوكيَلَ فَيَ مَنَ اوًّصَلَنَا الَى هَاذا الَحَالَ 💔💔وًّالَلَهَ الَعَظَيَمَ مَا كتَبَتَ هَذا الَمَنَاشَدَهَ غَيَرَ مَنَ الَضَيَقَ وّالَفَقَر يَاعَالَمَ حَسَوّا فَيَنَا ارَجَوّكمَ وّالَلَهَ الَعَظَيَمَ رَبَ الَعَرَشَ الَعَظَيَمَ انَه الَاكلَ مَا فَيَ عَنَدَيَ بَالَبَيَتَ وًّالَلَهَ يَا اخَوّانَيَ انَهَ خَوًّاتيَ بَقَعَدَوًّ بَالَيَوًّمَيَنَ مَافَى اكلَ وًّالَلَهَ وًّضَعَنَا كثَيَرَ صَعَبَ نَحَنَ 6 نَفَرَ دَاخَلَ الَبَيَتَ وًّابَيَ مَتَوًّفَيَ وًّلَا يَوًّجَدَ مَنَ يَعَوًّلَ عَلَيَنَا وًّسَاكنَيَنَ فَيَ بَيَتَ اجَارَ لَانَسَتَطَيَعَ دَفَعَ الَاجَارَ الَلَيَ بَاقَيَ عَلَيَنَا ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' اخي اول كلامي انا اقسم بالله على كتاب الله اني لااكذب عليك ولا انصب ولا احتال اني بنت يمنيه نازحين من الحرب انا واسرتي بيننا ایت الشهرب 15 الف يمني والان علينا 45 الف حق 3 شهور وصاحب البيت من الناس الي ماترحم والله يا اخي انه يجي كل يوم يبهدلنا ويتكلم علينا ويريد من البيت للشارع لانناماقدرنا ندفعله الأجار شافونا الجيران نبكي ورجعو تكلمو الجيران ومهلنالاخره الأسبوع معادفعنا له حلف يمين بالله هذا بيخرجنا إلى الشارع رحمه واحنا. بلادنا بسبب هذا الحرب ولانجد قوت يومنا وعايشين اناوامي وخواتي سفار والدنا متوفي الله يرحمه ومامعنا أحد في هذا الدنيا جاانبنا في هذه الظروف القاسيه خواتي الصغار خرجو للشارع وشافو الجيران ياكلو واوقفو عند بابهم لجل يعطوهم ولو كسره خبز والله الذي له ملك السموات والارض انهم غلفو الباب وطردوهم ورجعو یبکو ایموتو من الجوع ما احد رحمهم وعطلة ردها لقمت عیش والان لوما احدنا ساعدنا في إيكيلو دقيق اقسم بالله انموت من الجوع فيا اخي انا دخيله على الله ثم عليك واريد منك المساعده لوجه الله انشدك بالله تحب الخير واتساعدني تراسلي واتساب على هذا الرقم 00967717415667 وتطلب اسم بطاقتي وترسلي ولاتتاخر وايعوضك الله بكل خير ساعدنا وأنقذنا قبل أن يطردونا في الشارع تتبهدل أو نموت من الجوع وانا واسرتي نسالك بالله لولك مقدره على مساعد لاتتاخر علينا وجزاك الله خيرا،.،.،:^:؛^:🎉°~°~^~°^π√^π√~π~√~√~π^~^~π~π~√√~~ππ~π√~~^^°^°€€لب🎉🎉❤❤🎉،..
انَا اختكمَ مَن اليمَن وّالَلَه ماتكلمتَ الَا من جوّع وًّمن الفقر انَا وًّامَيَ وًّخَوًّاتَيَ تَشَرَدَنَا مَنَ بَيَوًّتَنَا بَسَبَبَ الَحَرَبَ نَحَنَ فَيَ حَالَهَ لَايَعَلَمَ بَهَا الَا الَلَهَ حَسَبَنَا الَلَهَ وًّنَعَمَ الَوكيَلَ فَيَ مَنَ اوًّصَلَنَا الَى هَاذا الَحَالَ 💔💔وًّالَلَهَ الَعَظَيَمَ مَا كتَبَتَ هَذا الَمَنَاشَدَهَ غَيَرَ مَنَ الَضَيَقَ وّالَفَقَر يَاعَالَمَ حَسَوّا فَيَنَا ارَجَوّكمَ وّالَلَهَ الَعَظَيَمَ رَبَ الَعَرَشَ الَعَظَيَمَ انَه الَاكلَ مَا فَيَ عَنَدَيَ بَالَبَيَتَ وًّالَلَهَ يَا اخَوّانَيَ انَهَ خَوًّاتيَ بَقَعَدَوًّ بَالَيَوًّمَيَنَ مَافَى اكلَ وًّالَلَهَ وًّضَعَنَا كثَيَرَ صَعَبَ نَحَنَ 6 نَفَرَ دَاخَلَ الَبَيَتَ وًّابَيَ مَتَوًّفَيَ وًّلَا يَوًّجَدَ مَنَ يَعَوًّلَ عَلَيَنَا وًّسَاكنَيَنَ فَيَ بَيَتَ اجَارَ لَانَسَتَطَيَعَ دَفَعَ الَاجَارَ الَلَيَ بَاقَيَ عَلَيَنَا ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' اخي اول كلامي انا اقسم بالله على كتاب الله اني لااكذب عليك ولا انصب ولا احتال اني بنت يمنيه نازحين من الحرب انا واسرتي بيننا ایت الشهرب 15 الف يمني والان علينا 45 الف حق 3 شهور وصاحب البيت من الناس الي ماترحم والله يا اخي انه يجي كل يوم يبهدلنا ويتكلم علينا ويريد من البيت للشارع لانناماقدرنا ندفعله الأجار شافونا الجيران نبكي ورجعو تكلمو الجيران ومهلنالاخره الأسبوع معادفعنا له حلف يمين بالله هذا بيخرجنا إلى الشارع رحمه واحنا. بلادنا بسبب هذا الحرب ولانجد قوت يومنا وعايشين اناوامي وخواتي سفار والدنا متوفي الله يرحمه ومامعنا أحد في هذا الدنيا جاانبنا في هذه الظروف القاسيه خواتي الصغار خرجو للشارع وشافو الجيران ياكلو واوقفو عند بابهم لجل يعطوهم ولو كسره خبز والله الذي له ملك السموات والارض انهم غلفو الباب وطردوهم ورجعو یبکو ایموتو من الجوع ما احد رحمهم وعطلة ردها لقمت عیش والان لوما احدنا ساعدنا في إيكيلو دقيق اقسم بالله انموت من الجوع فيا اخي انا دخيله على الله ثم عليك واريد منك المساعده لوجه الله انشدك بالله تحب الخير واتساعدني تراسلي واتساب على هذا الرقم 00967717415667 وتطلب اسم بطاقتي وترسلي ولاتتاخر وايعوضك الله بكل خير ساعدنا وأنقذنا قبل أن يطردونا في الشارع تتبهدل أو نموت من الجوع وانا واسرتي نسالك بالله لولك مقدره على مساعد لاتتاخر علينا وجزاك الله خيرا،.،.،:^:؛^:🎉°~°~^~°^π√^π√~π~√~√~π^~^~π~π~√√~~ππ~π√~~^^°^°€€لب🎉🎉❤❤🎉،..،
RIP innocent victim 🙏
Thank you for covering this subject Channel 4 news, mental health and crime are related, and prisons are the places they are trying to treat it. You are doing a great service by reporting on this subject in the manner that you are.
Prisons should be brought back to public ownership. Treating prisons as cash cows for shareholders does no one any good except those profiteering.
She should know the Tory clowns can't deliver this charge. Only Labour and Keir Starmer will.
Yet another victim of Tory austerity.
Cuts to everything, and it's the people who suffer…
The general election can't come soon enough…
so sad R.I.P. I hope changes are made especially dealing with mental issues .
Good night! I am very saddened by the news about the sterling. Thank you very much for the feedback.
I hope that Charles III and his children with Catherine give up all plans and that we can take over England once and for all. Queen Elizabeth must also be very saddened by the news.
With the benefit of hindsight, I sincerely hope that lessons will be learned this time and questions will be raised about mental health procedures in prisons.
I still haven't had an answer regarding the Coronation. Carlos III shows a great lack of respect towards everyone without a doubt and deserves our contempt.
🇬🇧🎯
Poor people..
Take out wrongful death lawsuit..
Treating the symptoms not the disease
Jails are corrupt and run like something from the dark ages
28 suicides in a year is awful
Need reform measures in prison, so when released they have something non criminal to get on with.. As today people released have nothing but to go back to the ways , that landed them in breaking the law…
criminals crying about mental health. massive excuse for the courts to give them poxy sentences. dont break the law you wont go to prison. so simple but im sure lots of the do good'ers will reply and make many many excuses for them.
Fund the Prison service.
Simple.
❤️
If this country made sure people got paid fairly, stopped taxing poor people and focused on mental health. We’d be living in a utopia. So many people would be alive right now
You can't beat the system called H.M.P. the fact they rewrite facts is well documented. My first experience of it was in 1986, Phillip Prosser was kicked to death by prison officers in Lincoln prisons segregation unit. 6 officers stated the prisoner rolled off the bunk landing on a plastic pint cup. Despite having bruises all over his body. No charges no sackings, those involved were moved to other❤ prisons. I spent a total 30 years inside these places, I'm left with a complex p.t.s.d., due to witnessing 13 individual suicides and murders. The mission statement of the prison service used to be on all the walls, it's not posted anywhere now. It stated the prison service are committed to holding those ordered by the court to be detained, in( clean safe and decent conditions.) . The rot in prisons and the dangers are off the charts. Those employed in sitting behavioral and operational procedures in prison, are heartless animals.
I been to prison – the prison service is a joke
Cathy Newman’s children ought to be ashamed of having such an irresponsible mother who didn’t listen properly on 16 January 2018 in her interview with Dr. Peterson. Stop trying to introduce bias about the interviewee and listen properly, Cathy. You ought to do better.
We strongly criticize Cathy Newman of Channel 4 News for mishandling her interview on 16 January 2018.
She’s fitt
This the usurious bankers who have created a country of single mothers and landless fathers peppered with feminism and individual freedoms while people are slaves to usurious loans. All the established media are aligned with the usurious bankers. Thank God for Islam!
Dont break the law and go to prison if he cared he wouldn't of left his daughter for petty crime
Would the same happen if it were a black person?
The state needs to stop warehousing people with mental health issues. No one should be in prison unless they are violent, or career criminals. The fact that this country has cut so many mental health services, leave many people vulnerable. It's the worst place for anyone with complex issues.
C4 please note. This video has 35 comments. When people cant afford bread at home, they dont give a sh!t about prisoners welfare