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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Agencies blamed over boy's death | Agencies blamed over boy's death |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| The death of a 16-year-old in custody was partly due to failures by agencies, an inquest jury has said. | The death of a 16-year-old in custody was partly due to failures by agencies, an inquest jury has said. |
| Gareth Price, 16, of Durham, was found hanging at Lancaster Farms Young Offenders Institution (YOI) the day before he was to be sentenced for rape. | Gareth Price, 16, of Durham, was found hanging at Lancaster Farms Young Offenders Institution (YOI) the day before he was to be sentenced for rape. |
| The jury, returning a verdict of death by hanging, said the council, Gareth's solicitor and a psychiatrist were among those who "contributed" to his death. | The jury, returning a verdict of death by hanging, said the council, Gareth's solicitor and a psychiatrist were among those who "contributed" to his death. |
| His family said he may have lived if people had "done their job properly". | His family said he may have lived if people had "done their job properly". |
| Gareth was found hanging in his segregation cell at the YOI on 19 January 2005. He was taken to hospital but died the next day. | Gareth was found hanging in his segregation cell at the YOI on 19 January 2005. He was taken to hospital but died the next day. |
| North Lancashire Coroner Dr James Adeley said he was angered by the failure of anyone to intervene. | North Lancashire Coroner Dr James Adeley said he was angered by the failure of anyone to intervene. |
| Speaking at the conclusion of a three-month inquest, Dr Adeley said: "What angers me most about Gareth Price's death is the number of organisations and individuals who have failed to intervene. | Speaking at the conclusion of a three-month inquest, Dr Adeley said: "What angers me most about Gareth Price's death is the number of organisations and individuals who have failed to intervene. |
| If everyone involved with Gareth had done their job properly he might not have died Price family | If everyone involved with Gareth had done their job properly he might not have died Price family |
| "There was not just a single missed opportunity, it was a series of missed opportunities by a series of groups and organisations." | "There was not just a single missed opportunity, it was a series of missed opportunities by a series of groups and organisations." |
| Dr Adeley said he sympathised with prison officers who found the teenager because they were in "an impossible position". | Dr Adeley said he sympathised with prison officers who found the teenager because they were in "an impossible position". |
| He said there were a number of failings, both individual and managerial, at County Durham Youth Engagement Team. | He said there were a number of failings, both individual and managerial, at County Durham Youth Engagement Team. |
| "The actions that occurred amount to little more than going through the motions," he added. | "The actions that occurred amount to little more than going through the motions," he added. |
| He will be writing to the Youth Justice Board, which oversees the youth justice system in England and Wales, to raise his concerns. | He will be writing to the Youth Justice Board, which oversees the youth justice system in England and Wales, to raise his concerns. |
| 'Inadequate' | 'Inadequate' |
| The foreman of the jury concluded that several agencies involved in Gareth's care had failed in their duty, including council youth services, his own solicitor, and a visiting psychiatrist. | The foreman of the jury concluded that several agencies involved in Gareth's care had failed in their duty, including council youth services, his own solicitor, and a visiting psychiatrist. |
| She said: "The jury finds that all the agencies dealing with Gareth Price provided a most inadequate and negative input to his needs and ultimately contributed to his death." | She said: "The jury finds that all the agencies dealing with Gareth Price provided a most inadequate and negative input to his needs and ultimately contributed to his death." |
| She described the failure of his family solicitor to pass on information about incidents of self-harm obtained in December 2004 as "a serious omission". | She described the failure of his family solicitor to pass on information about incidents of self-harm obtained in December 2004 as "a serious omission". |
| The inquest also heard how a prison psychologist's report highlighting the risk of self-harm posed to Gareth Price never reached the prison governor. | The inquest also heard how a prison psychologist's report highlighting the risk of self-harm posed to Gareth Price never reached the prison governor. |
| Lancashire County Council Youth Offending Team and Lancaster Youth Offending Team also "had different ideas as to who was responsible for line and performance management", the court heard. | Lancashire County Council Youth Offending Team and Lancaster Youth Offending Team also "had different ideas as to who was responsible for line and performance management", the court heard. |
| 'Vulnerable children' | 'Vulnerable children' |
| In a statement released afterwards, his family said: "What hurts the most is that we now know that experts had seen Gareth while he was in prison and predicted that he was at a high risk of killing himself at the time of the sentence. | In a statement released afterwards, his family said: "What hurts the most is that we now know that experts had seen Gareth while he was in prison and predicted that he was at a high risk of killing himself at the time of the sentence. |
| "We were never told this and neither were the prison officers who were looking after him at that time. | "We were never told this and neither were the prison officers who were looking after him at that time. |
| "If everyone involved with Gareth had done their job properly he might not have died." | "If everyone involved with Gareth had done their job properly he might not have died." |
| Learning from deaths in custody is a key strand of the prisoner suicide prevention strategy Ministry of Justice | Learning from deaths in custody is a key strand of the prisoner suicide prevention strategy Ministry of Justice |
| Deborah Coles, co-director of Inquest, an organisation which offers legal advice to families of youngsters who die in custody, called for a public inquiry. | Deborah Coles, co-director of Inquest, an organisation which offers legal advice to families of youngsters who die in custody, called for a public inquiry. |
| "It is shameful that despite all the information available about how vulnerable Gareth was, every agency that he came into contact with failed him," she said. | "It is shameful that despite all the information available about how vulnerable Gareth was, every agency that he came into contact with failed him," she said. |
| "How many more have to die before the government hold the Youth Justice Board to account for its failings and review the use of prison for vulnerable and troubled children? | |
| "The government must set up a full and holistic public enquiry into the youth justice system before more children die." | "The government must set up a full and holistic public enquiry into the youth justice system before more children die." |
| A spokeswoman from the Ministry of Justice said their sympathies were with Gareth's family. | A spokeswoman from the Ministry of Justice said their sympathies were with Gareth's family. |
| "Every death in prison affects families, staff and other prisoners deeply," she said. | "Every death in prison affects families, staff and other prisoners deeply," she said. |
| "Ministers, the Ministry of Justice and the Prison Service are completely committed to reducing the number of such tragic incidents. | "Ministers, the Ministry of Justice and the Prison Service are completely committed to reducing the number of such tragic incidents. |
| "Learning from deaths in custody is a key strand of the prisoner suicide prevention strategy, and we will be carefully considering the verdict to see what lessons can be learnt from Gareth's death." | "Learning from deaths in custody is a key strand of the prisoner suicide prevention strategy, and we will be carefully considering the verdict to see what lessons can be learnt from Gareth's death." |