Mother's Anguish Over Son's Death in Prison
The heartbroken mother of a 22-year-old man who died in prison has told an inquest she "knew he was going to die" as soon as he was transferred to a new facility. Sarah O'Brien gave emotional evidence at Bolton Coroners Court, stating her son Jake Anthony O'Brien had been failed by all the authorities responsible for his care.
Tragic Timeline of Events
Jake, from Altrincham in Greater Manchester, died at Salford Royal Hospital on November 12, 2024, after being found hanging in his cell at HMP Forest Bank. The Category B men's private prison in Pendlebury, Salford, had become his home just three weeks earlier following a transfer from HMP Liverpool.
He had been remanded to Forest Bank after being charged with car-related offences. Medical evidence presented at the inquest confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, with injuries consistent with hanging.
Mother's Desperate Pleas Ignored
Ms O'Brien described her first-born son as "extremely precious" and "very, very deeply loved." She revealed becoming increasingly concerned about Jake's mental health while he was at HMP Liverpool, prompting her to repeatedly contact:
- Both prison facilities
- Mental health services
- Her local MP
- Various other authorities
"I can't even tell you the feeling that I had," she told the hearing. "Nobody listened and he ended up dead." When she learned of Jake's transfer to Forest Bank, she said it felt like "the start of the end of his life."
Complex Medical History
The inquest heard Jake had significant health challenges:
- He experienced psychosis and had a history of self-harm
- He was diagnosed with ADHD and had a "strong probability" of autism
- There was a family history of schizophrenia
- He had contracted encephalitis as a baby, with doctors warning he might be severely brain damaged if he survived
- He was involved in a serious car accident in 2020 that may have caused brain injury
- He had taken ketamine around the time his psychosis developed
Ms O'Brien described her son as someone who "acted younger than his age" and was "cognitively slower." While in prison, he experienced psychosis and delusions, prompting his mother to try to reassure him during phone calls while simultaneously emailing councillors, hospitals and professionals seeking help.
Missed Opportunities for Intervention
The inquest heard that Jake had been assessed by a consultant psychiatrist shortly before his transfer to Forest Bank to determine whether he should be moved to a mental health facility. His mother had hoped he would be transferred to Edenfield Centre, a medium-secure mental health unit.
However, authorities decided it was in his best interests to monitor his behavior and reassess him over the following weeks. At the time of assessment, it was noted that Jake's symptoms of psychosis appeared to be improving and that he seemed to benefit from the structured environment at HMP Liverpool.
Extensive Inquest Proceedings
The inquest into Jake's death, which opened on Monday, is expected to run for 14 working days. Jurors were informed they would hear from 50 witnesses as they piece together what the coroner described as a "jigsaw puzzle" of evidence surrounding the tragic death.
The proceedings aim to establish the full circumstances leading to Jake's death and examine whether adequate safeguards were in place for vulnerable prisoners with complex mental health needs.
