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Prisoner took his own life after terror order had 'substantial impact' on mental state, inquest finds
Overview
An inquest jury at Inner West London Coroner's Court has concluded that 35-year-old prisoner Akhtar Uddin took his own life at HMP Wandsworth after strict terrorism control measures (TPIMs) and the fear of their re-imposition had a substantial impact on his mental state. The jury also found that the prison service failed to provide support targeted to his specific needs because staff were unaware of the TPIM restrictions. The coroner intends to issue a report to the government regarding risks to other individuals subjected to terrorism control measures.
Key points
- Akhtar Uddin died at HMP Wandsworth on Christmas Day 2021 after being jailed for breaching a Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measure (TPIM).
- The inquest jury concluded that the original TPIM's unusually restrictive nature and the fear of its reimposition severely impacted Uddin's mental state.
- Jurors found that the prison service failed to provide suitably targeted support due to a lack of staff awareness regarding TPIM restrictions.
- A prison governor acknowledged that staff ignorance of TPIMs resulted in unintentionally cruel treatment.
- The coroner plans to issue a preventing future deaths report to the government out of concern for risks to others under terrorism control measures.