Coroner sets out recommendations after 66-year-old’s bail hostel death in Waterlooville is ruled a suicide

PROBATION workers are being urged to work more closely with mental health services after a pensioner hanged himself in a suicide in his room at a bail hostel.
Anthony WalkerAnthony Walker
Anthony Walker

Retired upholsterer Anthony Walker, 66, was found dead hanging from a ligature in his room at The Grange, in Stakes Road, Waterlooville, just 13 days after his release from jail for an assault on his wife.

A jury ruled that staff did not have adequate training on risks of suicide or self-harm, and they did not have adequate policy guidance. But neither of these contributed to Mr Walker’s death, the jury ruled.

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Hostel staff told jurors they did not know of the policies; some had no recent formal first aid training; and that Mr Walker was left hanging until the ambulance crew - who had been called after a delay - arrived to cut him down.

Anthony WalkerAnthony Walker
Anthony Walker

Despite the jury’s conclusions senior coroner David Horsley is set to make three recommendations to health agencies and probation in a bid to prevent similar deaths.

A separate report, compiled by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman and released yesterday after the inquest, recommended extra guidance should be put in place by the head of the NPS on risks of suicide, there should be cover first aid cover at The Grange, and staff must call an ambulance immediately in circumstance of attempted suicide. There was a delay in staff calling one for Mr Walker.

After the inquest, Sarah Carro, one of Mr Walker’s three daughters, said: ‘Our dad deserved a right to life and he didn’t get that despite cries for help.’

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Family members were left in tears at the jury’s findings - which came nearly 18 months after the death. Emma Harlow, Sarah’s sister, said: ‘It’s a long time to have an open wound - we’re all shell-shocked.’

Anthony Walker's daughters Rebecca Wray, Sarah Carro and Emma Harlow, and his widow Jennifer Walker. Picture: Ben FishwickAnthony Walker's daughters Rebecca Wray, Sarah Carro and Emma Harlow, and his widow Jennifer Walker. Picture: Ben Fishwick
Anthony Walker's daughters Rebecca Wray, Sarah Carro and Emma Harlow, and his widow Jennifer Walker. Picture: Ben Fishwick

And after the juror ruled Mr Walker died by suicide in a hanging, the probation watchdog published its report saying a decision by hostel staff not to cut him down from a ligature was ‘undignified and inappropriate’.

Portsmouth Coroner’s Court heard the consolidation of probation trusts in a government-ordered shake-up that made the National Probation Service led to a gap in first aid and mental health training at the hostel.

But neither of these inadequacies contributed to Mr Walker’s death, the jury ruled.

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The seven women and one man in the inquest jury said Mr Walker was properly monitored on key dates leading up to his death, including on November 4 when he breached his bail by returning home to the Isle of Wight and attempted suicide.

The forewoman said ‘staff did all they could’ based on what Mr Walker told them.

In a ruling on whether or not offender management monitored and managed Mr Walker’s suicide risk while at the hostel, jurors said he was as he was regularly asked how he was feeling.

Senior Coroner David Horsley said he will write a report asking probation to look at getting hostel key workers to liaise with mental health services where there’s a risk of self-harm or suicide, and at giving hostel staff ready access to contact details for mental health services and other agencies.

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A third recommendation will ask Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Queen Alexandra Hospital, to look at receiving contents of 111 calls ‘where patients present with suspected mental health problems’.

Mr Walker had called 111, attending A&E in Portsmouth afterwards. The QA did not receive a copy of his call, where he said: ‘I woke up yesterday feeling a little bit suicidal and this morning, I have been waking up in absolute terror of self-harm.’

He was discharged from the hospital after being given advice, but was not referred on anywhere.

Addressing the Mr Walker’s widow Jennifer, Mr Horsley said: ‘I’m so awfully sorry this was the outcome of things. I hope it has given you some answers.’

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A National Probation Service spokeswoman said: ‘Our thoughts and sympathies are with Mr Walker’s loved ones.

‘While the jury found that our staff were not to blame in this tragic case, we have taken action to ensure all staff have the appropriate guidance and training to prevent this happening again.’