Hodge Jones & Allen

MEDIA ADVISORY NOTICE

1st April 2010

 

Inquest into death of William Duke at HMP Elmley on 9 November 2005 begins at 10.30am Tuesday 6 April 2010

 

Sitting before HM Coroner for Mid Kent & Medway, Mr Roger Sykes at Sessions House, County Road, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQ

 

The inquest into the death of 23 year old William Duke opens on Tuesday 6 April 2010; it is expected to last four weeks.

 

From a young child, Mr Duke suffered from severe asthma. On 29 October 2005, Mr Duke was remanded into custody. On 7 November 2005, he appeared at Sittingbourne Magistrates’ Court and was transferred to HMP Elmley on the Isle of Sheppey. He was placed in a three man cell with two other prisoners.

 

On the morning of 8 November 2005, Mr Duke was seen by the prison GP. Mr Duke’s seretide inhaler, which prevents the onset of an asthma attack, had run out. A new inhaler was requested from the pharmacy at HMP Rochester. This inhaler should have arrived for 4pm treatments, but it was late. Mr Duke never received the seretide inhaler.

 

By 1am on the evening of 8/9 November 2005, Mr Duke was experiencing breathing difficulties. The cell buzzer was pressed and prison officers attended and contacted the nurse. The nurse did not attend.

 

By 5.15am, Billy’s asthma had become critical. The cell buzzer was pressed and prison officers attended.  Both the Night Orderly Officer (NOO) and the Nurse in Healthcare were contacted. The NOO is the only person in the prison at night, with a complete set of keys, enabling access between various parts of the prison including healthcare and the prison house blocks.

 

It took at least thirty minutes for the NOO to attend Mr Duke’s cell after the cell buzzer had been pressed. At this stage, Mr Duke had collapsed on the bed. The nurse was summonsed and an ambulance called. CPR was unsuccessful and Mr Duke was pronounced dead at 6.21am.

 

The family does not understand how Mr Duke could have died of an asthma attack in a three man cell and wishes those responsible to be held to account. The keys issues the family hopes will be explored at the inquest include: -

 

· the delay in the dispensation of the seretide inhaler to Mr Duke;

· After Mr Duke started to complain of breathing difficulties -

· the prison’s response to the 1am cell bell, and

· the prison’s response to the 5.15am cell bell.

 

Mr Duke’s family is being represented by INQUEST Lawyers Group members Anna Thwaites from Hodge Jones & Allen LLP and Counsel Nick Brown from Doughty Street Chambers.