Call for custody to be used as last resort after death at Stoke Heath youth prison
Neil Puffett
Friday, January 7, 2011
Custody for vulnerable and suicidal young people should be a last resort, a prison campaigner has said after the death of an 18-year-old in a young offender institution (YOI).
Michael Cartwright, who was serving 20 months for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and theft, was found hanging in his cell at Stoke Heath YOI, in Shropshire, at around 9pm on 20 December.
Staff attempted to resuscitate him and he was taken to Telford hospital but died two days later on 22 December.
The Stoke Sentinel reported that Cartwright had previously attended a school for children with special needs, and had unsuccessfully attempted to take his life last Christmas while serving a separate custodial sentence.
Penelope Gibbs, director of the Prison Reform Trust’s campaign to reduce child imprisonment, said: "Where young people are vulnerable and suicidal, custody should be an absolute last resort and all steps should be taken to support and watch them if custody has to be used.
"It is always a tragedy when someone as young as Michael takes their own life. We don’t know why he did, but for all those in custody to be apart from family and friends is particularly difficult over the Christmas period.
"We hope that his death is properly investigated and our thoughts go out to his family."
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has said it is investigating the death.
