Andrew DEAN · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On 29 March 2021 I commenced an investigation into the death of Andrew DEAN aged 50. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 31 March 2023. The jury recorded a conclusion of SUICIDE.

On 26th March 2021 at approximately 10.11am in cell A3-10 at HMP Lewes, Andrew Dean was found with a ligature around his neck ████████. He was treated at the scene by prison staff, healthcare staff and paramedics. Andrew Dean was declared dead at 11.27am at HMP Lewes.

Following his arrival at HMP Lewes on 24 March 2021, Mr Dean was offered and attempted to make his initial ‘first night’ phone call but did not manage to speak to anyone. Over the next 36 hours, he made requests of prison staff for another opportunity to make a phone call, which were refused. During the same period, his partner tried to contact the prison through the prison switchboard, but was not able to make any contact with him. In his suicide note to his partner, Mr Dean wrote “I tried to get to talk to you but these lot here wouldn’t let me.”

I am concerned that there are no clearly defined processes to ensure that new prisoners can successfully make first contact with family members (when this does not take place on the first night) and for logging and handling incoming calls to the central switchboard from family members with concerns about a prisoner’s safety and/or requesting a welfare check.

Following the inquest, I gave the Ministry of Justice an opportunity to address these concerns by providing further evidence of any new procedures that have been put in place since Andrew Dean’s death, but they declined to do so. In my view, these are matters that require further consideration by the Ministry of Justice and HMP Lewes to avoid a risk of future deaths through self-harm or suicide. I refer to the enclosed letter from the solicitors for Mr Dean’s partner dated 19 May 2023.