A 61-year-old man found dead in his cell just two months after being jailed for his role in disorder outside an asylum seeker hotel exhibited strange behaviour after arrest and refused to speak to police, a custody sergeant has told an inquest.
Death in custody
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. He had been detained on August 10 2024 in connection with unrest in Manvers, Rotherham, earlier that month.
Testifying at the opening of a two-week inquest, Sergeant Ryan Handley acknowledged that he had recorded how Mr Lynch's presentation was 'strange' in the custody suite at Shepcote Lane Police Station in Sheffield, noting his confused state.
Refusal to cooperate
Sgt Handley said Mr Lynch withheld his surname from officers and responded to every question by declaring he was 'Peter, living man, son of Michael and Lily'. The officer said the detainee also refused all offers of food and drink while on his shift.
Sgt Handley admitted that, in hindsight, he should have referred Mr Lynch to the liaison and diversion team, which addresses mental health concerns among those in custody. When asked by senior coroner Nicola Mundy whether he identified any 'red flags' in Mr Lynch's presentation, Sgt Handley said he did not.
Family concerns
Richard Copnall, representing Mr Lynch's family, questioned whether engaging the liaison and diversion team would have been 'sensible'. Sgt Handley replied: 'With hindsight, yes.' However, he rejected the suggestion that he should have declared Mr Lynch unfit for questioning, stating: 'I'm going to stick with my assessment that he was fit to be interviewed at that time.'
Sgt Handley explained that Mr Lynch was examined by healthcare staff regarding medication he had brought to the station, but not concerning his mental wellbeing. He noted that consulting healthcare professionals was not mandatory when determining fitness for interview, and he made such judgments 10 to 20 times daily.
Medical evidence
Histopathologist Laszlo Karsai told the jury that Mr Lynch's death resulted from hanging. Dr Karsai indicated that prison officers found his body stiff and cold, suggesting he had likely been dead for at least two to three hours before discovery.
The pathologist noted traces of medication in Mr Lynch's system consistent with his medical history of heart disease and diabetes, though these conditions played no role in his death.
Far-right link
The coroner presented a statement from another police officer describing how a flag was discovered at Mr Lynch's home 'that could be linked to far-right ideology'. The inquest was adjourned and will reconvene on Tuesday.
