A 61-year-old man found dead in his cell two months after being jailed for disorder outside an asylum seeker hotel acted strangely after arrest, a custody sergeant has told an inquest.
Details of the Death
Peter Lynch died from hanging at HMP Moorland in South Yorkshire on October 19, 2024, a jury at Doncaster Coroner’s Court heard on Monday. The court was told Mr Lynch was arrested on August 10, 2024 over the disorder that erupted in Manvers, Rotherham, earlier that month, in the wake of the Southport attack.
Custody Sergeant's Testimony
Giving evidence at the opening of the two-week inquest into Mr Lynch’s death, Sgt Ryan Handley agreed he had noted the detainee’s presentation as “strange” in the custody suite at Shepcote Lane Police Station in Sheffield, and recorded that he appeared confused. Sgt Handley said Mr Lynch would not provide his surname to officers and replied to every question by stating he was “Peter, living man, son of Michael and Lily”. The officer added that the prisoner refused all offers of food and drink during his shift.
Missed Mental Health Referral
Sgt Handley said that, with hindsight, he should have referred the prisoner to the liaison and diversion team, which handles mental health issues among detainees. When asked by Doncaster’s senior coroner Nicola Mundy if he had spotted any “red flags” in Mr Lynch’s presentation, Sgt Handley replied that he had not. Richard Copnall, representing Mr Lynch’s family, asked whether it would have been “sensible” to involve the liaison and diversion team. Sgt Handley answered: “With hindsight, yes.” But the officer disagreed with Mr Copnall that he should have declared Mr Lynch unfit for interview. He said: “I’m going to stick with my assessment that he was fit to be interviewed at that time.”
Medical and Pathological Evidence
Sgt Handley confirmed Mr Lynch was seen by the healthcare team about medication he had brought with him to the station, but not regarding his mental health. He added there was no requirement for him to consult healthcare professionals when deciding fitness for interview, noting he made such decisions 10 to 20 times daily for people in custody. Earlier, histopathologist Laszlo Karsai told the jury Mr Lynch died by hanging. Dr Karsai said the fact that prison officers found his body stiff and cold indicated he had probably been dead for at least two to three hours before discovery. The pathologist noted traces of medication in Mr Lynch’s body consistent with his known history of heart disease and diabetes, but these conditions did not contribute to his death.
Background and Context
The coroner read a statement from another police officer describing how a flag was found in Mr Lynch’s house “that could be linked to far right ideology”. The inquest was adjourned and will resume on Tuesday.
