Second inmate discovered useless in matter of weeks at UK jail the place lags ‘run the wings’

An inmate at Forest Bank prison, Salford, has died, the third death at the jail in the last two years. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman is now investigating

A troubled UK prison has reported its second death in just a matter of weeks. An investigation has launched at Forest Bank prison in Salford, Greater Manchester where an unnamed inmate was found dead in the A wing on Wednesday.

The grim discovery follows last month’s incident where Jake O’Brien, a 22-year-old from Altrincham, tragically collapsed and later died after being transferred to Salford Royal Hospital.

Regarding the latest fatality, the privately-run jail provided told Manchester Evening News: “We can confirm that a prisoner died on Wednesday 18 December and our thoughts and condolences are with his family at this time. As with all deaths in custody, there will be an investigation by the independent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman and therefore we are unable to comment further at this stage.”

Jake O’Brien had been remanded in the Category B men’s prison on charges linked to car crime when he met his untimely demise. His heartbroken mum, Sarah O’Brien, aged 39, of Altrincham, Trafford, mourned: “I am deeply saddened to lose my first-born, precious baby boy. Your life had only just begun and it has been taken away from you. You truly did deserve more than this.”

She also noted her son’s cherished roles within their family: “Jake is a precious son and big brother and he will be sadly missed. As a family we ask for privacy to allow us to grieve and to come to terms with what has happened.”

A dark shadow looms over Forest Bank as it reels from numerous deaths in recent times, including the losses of Michael McDonagh, aged 27, found unresponsive in February 2019, and Raymond Lucy, 63, discovered deceased in July the same year, reports the Manchester Evening News.

In September of the previous year, an inquest jury determined that Mr McDonagh, who was prescribed a ‘combination of drugs’, died due to ‘serious failings’ in his care. He was given several drugs that collectively depressed his central nervous system – including methadone.

The jury concluded that the medical professionals responsible for prescribing methadone ‘failed to conduct adequate enquiries’ into Mr McDonagh’s tolerance to opiate medication before deciding to prescribe the drug. They also found that they then ‘failed to monitor him in the days that followed in line with prison and national health guidelines’ – a failure they believed likely contributed to Michael’s death.

Despite his family’s claims that his prison cell lacked fresh air, a coroner ruled in November that Mr Lucy’s death was ‘unpreventable’. In April of the previous year, an M.E.N.

An investigation into Forest Bank prison revealed allegations of widespread drug use and inmates who ‘run the wings’, leading an MP and Salford’s mayor to write to the government demanding an ‘urgent’ review. Our revelations included a call from Salford and Eccles MP Rebecca Long-Bailey for the Ministry of Justice to cancel a billion pound contract it has with facilities management giant Sodexo to run the troubled jail.

Our investigation, based on allegations from a whistle-blower, an ex-prisoner and his father, and the family of a grandfather who died in his cell, exposed what Salford and Eccles MP Rebecca Long-Bailey labelled a ‘culture of lawlessness’ at the jail.

We uncovered that: Sodexo’s contract to operate the prison is set to expire on January 19, 2025. The company was awarded a deal worth £1,006,771,964 back in 1998 to design, build and manage the prison, which was constructed on the site of the former Agecroft power station under a private finance initiative.

The prison can accommodate up to 1,064 inmates. Initially, the deal was set for 25 years, but it was later extended.

The facilities management behemoth, which was founded and is headquartered in France, operates six prisons in England and Scotland. Last year, it reported revenues of 21.1 billion euros, including an ‘underlying operating profit’ of over a billion euros, marking an increase of 83 per cent.

An announcement regarding the contract is expected shortly.