This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/lancashire/6709135.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Boy's custody death was suicide | Boy's custody death was suicide |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A boy found dead at a privately-run secure unit 150 miles from his home committed suicide, a jury has ruled. | A boy found dead at a privately-run secure unit 150 miles from his home committed suicide, a jury has ruled. |
| Adam Rickwood, 14, became the youngest person to die in custody in Britain in modern times, in 2004. | Adam Rickwood, 14, became the youngest person to die in custody in Britain in modern times, in 2004. |
| Adam, from Burnley, Lancashire, was on remand at the Hassockfield Secure Training Unit, County Durham. | Adam, from Burnley, Lancashire, was on remand at the Hassockfield Secure Training Unit, County Durham. |
| He wrote to his mother saying he would kill himself if forced to stay in the unit, the jury at Chester-le-Street Magistrates' Court heard. | He wrote to his mother saying he would kill himself if forced to stay in the unit, the jury at Chester-le-Street Magistrates' Court heard. |
| Adam was found dead about a month after being sent on remand to the unit on a wounding charge, in July 2004. | Adam was found dead about a month after being sent on remand to the unit on a wounding charge, in July 2004. |
| He had suffered from mental health problems, drink and drug abuse and had suicidal tendencies, the court heard. | He had suffered from mental health problems, drink and drug abuse and had suicidal tendencies, the court heard. |
| Jurors deliberated for almost a week after the month-long hearing, before ruling that he intended to take his own life. | Jurors deliberated for almost a week after the month-long hearing, before ruling that he intended to take his own life. |
| I will probably try to kill myself and I will probably succeed this time Adam Rickwood's letter | I will probably try to kill myself and I will probably succeed this time Adam Rickwood's letter |
| The last letter the teenager wrote to his mother, Carol Pounder, was read to the jury. | The last letter the teenager wrote to his mother, Carol Pounder, was read to the jury. |
| It said: "I need to be at home with you. I need to be at home in my own bed or my head will crack up. | It said: "I need to be at home with you. I need to be at home in my own bed or my head will crack up. |
| "I will probably try to kill myself and I will probably succeed this time. I can't stay in here." | "I will probably try to kill myself and I will probably succeed this time. I can't stay in here." |
| The jury found Hassockfield was an appropriate secure training centre for Adam. | The jury found Hassockfield was an appropriate secure training centre for Adam. |
| Jurors also found that staff at the centre had acted appropriately while he was there and in the hours before his death. | Jurors also found that staff at the centre had acted appropriately while he was there and in the hours before his death. |
| Recommendations | Recommendations |
| The jury had heard that in the hours before his death Adam had been restrained by staff using a "nose distraction technique" in which upward pressure is placed on the nose to cause a short pain. | The jury had heard that in the hours before his death Adam had been restrained by staff using a "nose distraction technique" in which upward pressure is placed on the nose to cause a short pain. |
| Mrs Pounder called for a public inquiry into children that have been restrained for non-compliance saying that she was "totally and utterly disgusted with what had happened". | |
| Durham coroner Andrew Tweddle said he would make a number of recommendations, including about the use of restraint techniques. | Durham coroner Andrew Tweddle said he would make a number of recommendations, including about the use of restraint techniques. |
| He said that a review was necessary "so there can be no ambiguity in anyone's mind whatsoever - young persons, staff, management, the Youth Justice Board and indeed the government." | He said that a review was necessary "so there can be no ambiguity in anyone's mind whatsoever - young persons, staff, management, the Youth Justice Board and indeed the government." |
| A spokesman for Serco, which runs the centre, said after the inquest: "This has been a very thorough investigation into the circumstances of Adam's tragic death. | A spokesman for Serco, which runs the centre, said after the inquest: "This has been a very thorough investigation into the circumstances of Adam's tragic death. |
| "It has demonstrated that our staff do a difficult job and provided a very high standard of care when Adam was at Hassockfield. | "It has demonstrated that our staff do a difficult job and provided a very high standard of care when Adam was at Hassockfield. |
| "The coroner has made detailed recommendations, some of which we have already implemented, and we will of course look closely at the rest." | "The coroner has made detailed recommendations, some of which we have already implemented, and we will of course look closely at the rest." |