Film on ‘suicide’ teen Adam Rickwood

Adam Rickwood
Adam Rickwood

originally published by: The Burnley Express
14th February 2010

A hard hitting documentary detailing the death in custody of Burnley teenager Adam Rickwood hopes to shed new light on his alleged suicide.

News of the yet-to-be released social drama entitled “Adam Rickwood and The Medomsley Heroes” comes as Adam’s mum, Carol Pounder, visited the High Court to demand a new coroner for a second inquest into her son’s death.

Adam became the youngest person to die in British penal custody at the age of 14 when he was found hanged at the Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in County Durham, in 2004.

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Family hope inquest will end prison murders

originally published by: The Independent
17th January 2010

Just one day after Michael Clegg was discharged from a psychiatric hospital, he found himself in Leeds prison. Mr Clegg, 48, a mechanical engineer with no previous criminal record, was remanded in custody for an alleged assault on his wife because no place was available in a suitable probation hostel.

The vulnerable father-of-three was shocked but thought he would have to wait only a few days to be reunited with his family. Less than two weeks later, he was dead.

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Bristol Prison ‘failed’ suicidal prisoner

Youth in Prison Celloriginally published by: The BBC
11th January 2010

An inquest jury has said that management procedures at Bristol Prison were “seriously flawed”, after hearing how a man hanged himself at the jail.

Stephen Bartman, 26, was found hanging from a sheet, nine hours after being admitted to the prison in May 2008. The hearing at Flax Bourton heard that a report that Bartman was a suicide risk was ignored by the prison staff.

Deputy Coroner Brian Whitehouse said he would write to the prison’s governor to recommend procedures were tightened. The court heard that on the day he died, Bartman, of Jacob’s Wells Road, Bristol, had been sentenced to 27 months for perjury.

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