Staff 'missed chance' to help prisoner - report

Warning: This story contains details that some may find disturbing.

Prison staff missed chances to provide more support to a prisoner who died by suicide, an investigation found.

Thomas Goldring had never been in prison before he was held on remand at HMP Winchester from August 2022 on suspicion of the murder of Stephen Harrington in July 2022.

The 21-year-old was found dead in his cell at the prison in December 2022 and the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) said his history of depression was not followed up properly.

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesperson said all of the PPO's recommendations have been adopted and that the jail has already made changes to better support prisoners.

Mr Goldring was referred for a mental health assessment when he arrived at HMP Winchester but was discharged without ever being seen in person.

"Reception staff did not properly consider Mr Goldring's risk factors for suicide and self-harm when he arrived at Winchester," the PPO said.

"While we accept that Mr Goldring took his life several months later, we consider that this was a missed opportunity to put support in place. Poor risk assessment by reception staff at Winchester is an issue we have raised before."

HM Inspectorate of Prisons noted at its last inspection of HMP Winchester that staff shortages "impacted on the ability to provide early days mental health assessments" in mid-2022, the PPO said.

Tarin Linfield, of Hambrook, near Chichester, was jailed for five years and three months for Mr Harrington's manslaughter after an attack in Emsworth, West Sussex in March 2023.

"Our thoughts remain with the friends and family of Thomas Goldring," the MoJ spokesperson said.

"HMP Winchester has accepted all of the Ombudsman's recommendations and has already made changes to better support prisoners at risk of self-harm or suicide, including increased mental health screening and assessments."

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