'˜Grave concerns' over safety of Winchester prison after damning verdict into inmate's death

Assistant Karen Harrold said she was ‘gravely concerned’ about the risk of deaths at HMP Winchester, solicitors have said.

A jury yesterday concluded serious failings amounting to neglect at HMP Winchester contributed to Daryl Hargrave’s death.

The 22-year-old had been remanded in the jail after an incident in Gosport in 2015.

He had shown symptoms of psychosis in the three days before his death and had reported to staff that he had demons in his blood, telling him to harm himself.

Mr Hargrave was found hanged in his cell on July 19, 2015 after spending just six days in the prison.

After a four-week inquest held at the council chambers in Winchester, the jury concluded there was a failure by healthcare at the prison to provide treatment for Mr Hargrave’s psychosis and that this failure amounted to neglect.

Ms Harrold will now compile a report to prevent future deaths at the jail.

Mr Hargrave’s mother, Nicola Hargrave, said: ‘All our family has been left devastated by Daryl’s death.

‘He was a bright young man who had had a difficult childhood and had suffered from mental illness for many years.

‘He had been in prison for only a few days and needed urgent medical attention.

‘Over the past few weeks it has been incredibly hard to hear about the catalogue of failings by prison officers and healthcare staff at HMP Winchester and I sincerely hope that the prison will face up to the mistakes that were made and take action. I cling to the hope that Daryl’s death will at least help others.”

Clair Hilder, civil liberties lawyer at Hodge Jones & Allen said: ‘This is a tragic case of a vulnerable young man with severe mental health problems who was badly let down in prison.

‘Staff failed to keep him safe.’

d at the inquest was that their actions increased the likelihood of Daryl taking his own life.’