Police failings contributed to death of Bolton woman found unresponsive in cell, inquest jury rules
07.04.2022 - 19:39
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
An inquest jury has concluded that serious and significant police failings contributed to the death of a Bolton woman found unresponsive in a cell.
The jury heard that Kelly Hartigan-Burns, 35, died at Royal Blackburn Hospital in 2016 after being found unresponsive at Greenbank Police Station in the early hours of Saturday December 4. A five-week hearing into her death finished earlier this week, after members of the jury were sent out to consider their verdict on Tuesday, April 5.
After two days of deliberation, the jury returned to County Hall, Preston, to deliver a conclusion on Thursday afternoon, April 7, after being asked by Senior Coroner Dr James Adeley to consider a potential conclusion of unlawful killing as well as options including suicide, accidental death and an open conclusion.
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The jury cited contributing factors including the absence of PNC warning markers on Kelly's record, lack of training in the PNC marker system, the failure of the senior attending officer to inform the transporting officer or the custody staff of the suicide or self harm risk, and the management of Kelly in the custody suite, Lancs Live reports.
The failure to explain the custody process and the speed and manner in which Kelly was processed also increased the risk of self-harm or suicide, the jury concluded. Kelly first come to the attention of Lancashire Constabulary late on December 3, after being seen stepping in front of traffic and saying 'I want to die'.
Earlier that day she had drunk two bottles of wine and become upset after arguments with family members including wife Collette Hartigan-Burns. A Grade One response, the most serious, was issued