A British father of four who died in custody after swallowing a bag of cocaine should still be alive, his wife says, after an inquiry found that officers had failed to perform adequate checks.
Details of the incident
Steven Ruddick, 38, consumed the bag of illegal drugs while being treated at University Hospital in North Durham in December 2022, having been remanded in custody in what the Prison and Probation Ombudsman called 'a very unusual situation'. He had been taken to hospital after complaining about a foot injury following his arrest.
After returning from the toilet, he reportedly pulled out a small bag of cocaine and, despite the efforts of those around him, swallowed the substance. Tragically, Ruddick suffered a serious seizure and was pronounced dead. A post-mortem examination concluded that the seizure was a result of the cocaine ingested.
Mental health concerns
Prior to his passing, Ruddick had reportedly told mental health staff that he was planning on committing suicide. The inquiry found that information about his repeated threats to take his own life was not properly passed on from police to the prison escort officers.
Ombudsman and inquest findings
The ombudsman said that employees at security firm GEOAmey 'did their best to meet his needs' in what was a 'very unusual situation' and 'made every effort' to stop Ruddick swallowing the drugs. However, an inquest jury found that officials had failed to carry out the appropriate Level B search on Ruddick and as such had failed to discover the bag of cocaine, a factor that had 'more than minimally contributed to his death' as it 'did not check Steven's trouser pockets or any other part of his trousers'.
The inquiry also found that HM Courts and Tribunals Service should have shared details of his mental health risks with the court and prison escort staff sooner.
Wife's reaction
After the inquest, Ruddick's wife, Andrea, said: 'I am pleased it is over. It is bittersweet, just knowing that if they had done the last search properly, then he would still be here. I hope nobody is ever treated how he was. He was failed.'
Andrea described her husband as 'the funniest person you would ever meet' and said: 'He was a good husband – we grew up together, we met when he was 16 and I was 19 – and an even better dad.'
