Mum wins prison death fight
A MOTHER has won her lengthy legal battle to prove that neglect contributed to her son's prison death.
Paul Calvert, 40, hanged himself in Pentonville two days after being taken to the prison in Caledonian Road, Holloway, on remand for breaching a bail condition. His mother, Gwen Calvert, has always insisted her son should have received better care.
On Monday, a jury at St Pancras Coroner's Court agreed, delivering a verdict of accidental death contributed to by neglect. "I feel I have closure and that I can relax and move on," said Mrs Calvert, of London Fields. "It's been a very difficult time, not just for me, but for Paul's brother and his children."
Mr Calvert, who had been struggling to get off heroin, pressed the emergency button in his cell before hanging himself with a belt on October 24, 2004.
During an initial inquest in March, 2007, the jury heard of "systematic failings" at the prison including cell bells being taped over but the jury returned a verdict of misadventure after the coroner, Dr Andrew Reid, refused to let them consider a verdict of "neglect."
Mrs Calvert fought a successful battle to overturn the decision in the High Court and a second inquest took place. Assistant deputy coroner Gail Elliman said there was no way of knowing how long Mr Calvert had been left hanging.
Deborah Coles, co-director of charity INQUEST, which represented the family, said: "This is a vindication of Paul's family's determination to obtain a just verdict."
A Prison Service spokesman said that the National Offender Management Service will consider the inquest findings "to see what lessons can be learned".
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