A YOUNG man with paranoid schizophrenia hanged himself in prison because the authorities saw him as a criminal, rather than a patient. Vince Morgan, 29, was found hanged in his cell at HMP Northallerton in North Yorkshire, where he was serving an 18-month sentence for assaulting his father.
Now, the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Health are facing calls to urgently review the way those with psychological disorders are dealt with by the legal system.
Vince, who lived with his parents Trevor and Sharon in west Hull, died on December 28 last year – his mother's birthday – six weeks after he was transferred from HMP Hull.
A week-long inquest into his death, held in Northallerton, ended with a jury returning a verdict of misadventure and the conclusion that "problems surrounding Mr Morgan's behaviour were treated as a discipline issue, rather than medical".
Vince's parents believe their son would still be alive had he been sent to a secure hospital, rather than a prison, as they had expected.
Trevor, 55, said: "Vince was let down and we want to prevent other families going through what we have this past year. It has devastated our family.
"His death has destroyed us. We're receiving counselling and are struggling to cope with what has happened."
In the days leading up to Vince's death there was a lack of communication from healthcare workers to prison staff, the inquest heard.
On December 26, two days prior to his death, a meeting was held to discuss Vince's case and he was moved to a single cell, but no reference was made to a relapse and risk management report that had been compiled at HMP Hull before his transfer.
This report contained "key information" that a decline in personal hygiene, such as that happening to Vince, was indicative of a decline in mental health.
Coroner Michael Oakley has now written to the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Health with recommendations.
He said: "Governors and healthcare providers in prisons should review the policy of how to become involved if a mental health rapid transfer comes up.
"And the governor and health provider should also review how information is streamed between all relevant staff members."
The jury concluded: "Mr Morgan suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and delusional disorders.
"His symptoms were only partially controlled by medication and his medication was under ongoing review.
"It is unlikely, given his mental health issues and learning difficulties, that he was capable of fully knowing the consequences of his act.
"Mr Morgan's personal hygiene problems had escalated in the days prior to his death, which would be an indication of a deterioration in his mental health.
"In the days leading up to the act there was a lack of communication from healthcare staff to prison discipline staff.
"There was a failure in the system of the transfer of information from healthcare to discipline staff, which resulted in critical information not being made available to all relevant staff members.
"Consequently, the problems around Mr Morgan's behaviour were treated as a discipline issue rather than medical."
Hull West and Hessle MP Alan Johnson has also written to Mr Grayling and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt MP expressing his concern.
Mr Johnson said, although recognising the inquest needed to focus on events immediately before Vince's death, he believed lessons "much wider" than those contained in the coroner's report needed to be learned.
He said: "This young man with a psychotic illness was given an excessive prison sentence, was receiving no medical treatment at Hull Prison, was transferred to Northallerton without any reference to his parents, and then moved to a cell on his own in A wing.
"The whole episode shows a complete disregard for Mr Morgan's close family."
In another letter to health and legal bodies, Mr Johnson suggested Vince's angst was exasperated after being told by Humberside Probation Trust that he was to be moved to a bail hostel on his release and would not be allowed to return to his parents' home.
"No discussion had taken place with Mr and Mrs Morgan and this news, given to a young man with psychotic illness, was devastating in relation to his state of mind," he said.
"I find the most astonishing aspect of this case to be the way that Vince Morgan's loving parents were excluded from any discussion concerning his future."
