An inmate was just weeks away from being released when he was found dead in his Altcourse prison cell.
Stuart Robinson, from Billinge, Wigan was 20 years old when he was found at HMP Altcourse - a Category B men's prison that holds around 1,164 prisoners. An inquest into his death previously opened at the Gerard Majella Courthouse heard that he had been sentenced on March 3 that year to 26 weeks in prison.
Arriving to custody with a "suicide and self-harm" warning, Mr Robinson was due to be released on June 1. However, he was found in his cell at around 5am on April 25, 2021. Despite the best efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead at 5.16am.
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A week long inquest was held into Mr Robinson's death, where jurors heard evidence surrounding his time in custody and mental health. Concluding on May 15, assistant coroner Kate Ainge recorded a cause of death as ligature hanging.
It was concluded that on April 8, an ACCT (Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork) book was opened after a letter was intercepted suggesting Mr Robinson's intention of suicide. As a result, he was put under a regime of five observations an hour and "two meaningful conversations a day".
On April 9, Mr Robinson underwent a mental health assessment and the number of observations was reduced to three and a care plan put in place. These observations were removed entirely on April 14.
However, on the evening of April 18, Mr Robinson self-harmed, leading to hourly observations being reinstated. Concluding a cause of death as suicide, Ms Ainge wrote: "On April 23 Mr Robinson self-harmed again, leading to the fourth case review being brought forward. On this same date Mr Robinson's podmate was released from prison and Mr Robinson was therefore alone in his cell."
Last seen at 7pm on April 24, it is believed during the early hours of April 25, around 12am and 1am, Mr Robinson had taken his own life as Ms Ainge wrote: "Ultimately resulting in his death by suicide."
His body was discovered at 5am and a code blue was called. However, medical staff rushed to the scene but it was "clear that Mr Robinson was incapable of resuscitation" and he was declared dead at 5:16 am.
The ECHO previously reported that Mr Robinson's mum Carrie Payne said growing up he was "as normal a child as can be". However, she added that in 2014, a "bombshell hit the family" when he was arrested for sex offences for which he pleaded guilty.
The hearing heard how Mr Robinson, who had also served a six month sentence for robbery, suffered with "suicidal tendencies". In her statement Mrs Payne added: "Although I hadn't seen him for some time, I spoke to him regularly on phone."
Mrs Payne said she believed he was "lonely and depressed" and on April 23 he had expressed concerns he was now in a cell on his own after his cell mate left. She added he told her he loved her which he "never normally does", which was the "last time I spoke to him."
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