A prisoner at HMP Manchester, known as Strangeways, was found dead just hours after a prison officer falsified records claiming to have checked on him, according to a report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. The inmate, 24-year-old Patryk Jalocha, had written disturbing scrawls on the walls of his cell, including a drawing of a man hanging, which staff failed to investigate.
Details of the Incident
Jalocha, who was born in Poland and moved to the UK at age 15, died on November 5, 2024, while on remand for attempted murder. He had previously been sentenced for other offences. The report states that he was worried about deportation and appeared low in mood. He had been under standard suicide and self-harm monitoring procedures (ACCT) for most of the five weeks before his death.
On the day of his death, two staff members noticed graffiti in his cell, including a stick figure hanging from gallows, but did not explore it with him. The night patrol officer failed to complete required checks immediately before Jalocha was found hanging and falsified the ACCT record to indicate the checks were done. CCTV footage later showed the officer walking past the cell without stopping. The officer was subsequently sacked for gross misconduct.
Ombudsman's Findings
Ombudsman Adrian Usher noted that while it cannot be determined if the checks would have prevented the death, the failure was a serious breach of duty. The report recommended that staff be trained to consider graffiti, notes, and drawings as potential risk factors during cell checks.
Jalocha was found at 10:55 PM on November 5, and despite CPR, he could not be revived. An inquest on May 1 returned a narrative verdict, stating it was not possible to determine intent. The Ministry of Justice has been contacted for comment.
