Man who died in jail after disorder felt his ‘life had fallen apart’, jury told
The son of a 61-year-old man who who was found dead in his cell two months after he was jailed for his part in disorder outside an asylum seeker hotel “felt like his whole life had fallen apart” after he was imprisoned, a jury has heard.
Peter Lynch died from hanging at HMP Moorland in South Yorkshire on October 19 2024, a jury at Doncaster Coroner’s Court heard.
The court heard that Mr Lynch was arrested on August 10 2024 in relation to disorder in Manvers, Rotherham, earlier that month.
On Tuesday, a statement was read from Mr Lynch’s son Lewis Lynch, who said he was sent to HMP Doncaster for the same offence, shortly after his father arrived at the prison on remand.
Lewis Lynch said his father’s arrest and remand in custody had “come as a big shock” to him, and added: “I was worried about my dad because he’d never been in prison before.”
In his statement, he said “nobody had taken time to explain to him about the prison regime or the sentence”, and how he struggled to make phone calls to his family and arrange visits “for some unknown reason”.
Mr Lynch said his father also struggled because he did not have his glasses in prison.
He said another prisoner, Leonard Tyler, told him about two suicide attempts his father had made.
Mr Lynch said he reported this to a custody manager but nothing happened.
He said his father denied what Mr Tyler said and claimed a mark on his neck was made when he was shaving.
Lewis Lynch said in his statement that he and his father were sentenced to two years and eight months in jail, which he thought was at the “top end” of sentencing for the offence of violent disorder.
He said: “I didn’t know my dad was going to the Save The Children rally. But it did not surprise me. He felt passionately about making sure the country was safe for his grandchildren.”
He added: “I observed my dad going downhill while in custody. I tried to do all I could to help him.”
Lewis Lynch said he and his father were moved to HMP Moorland together in September 2024 and shared a cell until his father was moved to a single cell on another wing.
He said his father ended up spending 22 to 23 hours in his cell a day.
Earlier, a statement was read from Leonard Tyler, who said he felt he “had to look after” Peter Lynch, who was his cellmate, because it was his first time in custody.
He said: “He was really nice, genuine guy, but he was struggling with prison life.”
The inmate said he returned to the cell one day to find Mr Lynch lying on the floor.
He said he went to get help but, when he returned, Mr Lynch was standing and said he was “fine”.
He described seeing a mark on Mr Lynch’s neck and evidence of a ligature in the cell.
Mr Tyler said he asked his cellmate what he was doing and Mr Lynch said he was “sorry” and he “had tried to kill himself”.
Mr Tyler said he did not report this incident or another in which Mr Lynch appeared to take a number of his prescribed tablets, which made him sick.
He said: “I don’t think he said anything to the staff on the wing. I don’t think anything would have been done regardless.”
Nicola Wraith, who manages health care provision at HMP Doncaster for the Practice Plus Group, said no concerns were raised about Mr Lynch’s mental health during his time at the jail.
Ms Wraith said his induction revealed he had had a heart attack, had ongoing cardiac issues and was diabetic, but “there was no evidence of any previous mental health issues”.
She added: “There was nothing that gave us concern.”
Neil White, assistant director at Doncaster Prison, said there was no record of Mr Lynch having problems with his phone, and he phoned his wife every day but one between August 16 and when he was transferred to HMP Moorlands on September 2.
Mr White said there was no record of the incident described by Mr Tyler, and no referrals for self-harm in relation to Mr Lynch.