Inquest into the death of David Bassett concludes

Yesterday, His Majesty’s Senior Coroner for Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, sitting with a jury, concluded the Article 2 inquest into the death of David Bassett. Mr Bassett died whilst remanded in custody in HMP Swansea.

Over the course of seven days, the jury examined the way in which different agencies, including South Wales Police, GEO Amey, HMP Swansea, and Swansea Bay University Health Board, had managed Mr Bassett’s risk of self-harm and suicide from the time of his arrest to his death in custody.  They returned a conclusion of suicide “to which failures to respond to an obvious risk of self-harm contributed”.

Whilst the jury found causative failings on the part of other agencies, following legal argument, the Senior Coroner ruled that how South Wales Police had managed Mr Bassett whilst he was in their care was not a matter for the jury.

Lissy Verrall-Withers was instructed on behalf of South Wales Police.