Jake O'Brien, 22, died at Salford Royal Hospital three days after being found hanged in his cell at Forest Bank
Jake O'Brien
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A leading psychiatrist told an inquest his involvement with a vulnerable inmate who later took his own life left him ‘very conflicted’. Dr Simon Plunkett was employed by the family of Jake O’Brien to carry out an independent assessment into whether he should be moved from prison to a secure mental hospital.
But when the 22-year-old was transferred from HMP Liverpool to Forest Bank in Salford that meant he was now detained in a jail Dr Plunkett oversaw in his role as clinical lead health and justice for the NHS body Greater Manchester Mental Health.
"I wanted to make sure I was being independent because I was sensitive to the fact that if I was preparing a report recommending he is transferred to hospital I would obviously be very conflicted as I was also trying to negotiate his transfer," Dr Plunkett told a jury at Bolton coroners court. "That conflict worried me.”
Mr O'Brien, of Altrincham, died at Salford Royal Hospital on November 12, 2024 three days after being found hanged in his cell at Forest Bank, where he was on remand for car crime offences. The inquest had earlier heard that while in prison Mr O'Brien, who had ADHD, a history of self-harm and a 'strong probability' of having autism, was experiencing psychosis and delusions.
He also had a history of schizophrenia in his family and had taken ketamine around the time of his psychosis. Today (Wednesday) the court heard Dr Plunkett had unsuccessfully tried to arrange to assess Mr O’Brien, whom he had known in a clinical capacity since 2021, on two occasions.
On the first occasion Dr Plunkett, a consultant forensic psychiatrist, mistook the time of the appointment and on the second occasion Mr O’Brien refused to attend. Despite not assessing him in person Dr Plunkett later updated the medical record to say Mr O’Brien was 'acutely unwell', was a risk to himself and others and didn't possess 'adequate capacity to make decisions in his own interests'.
Jake Anthony O'Brien, 22, who died at Salford Royal Hospital on November 12, 2024(Image: MEN/UGC)
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That was 'mostly based on my general knowledge of who Jake was and the difficulties he had," Dr Plunkett told the court. Based on a 'passing discussion in the office' the psychiatrist also mistakenly informed Mr O'Brien's solicitors that a move to the Edenfield mental health unit in Prestwich had been approved, when in fact the potential transfer was still being decided upon.
"I got it wrong, " he said. "I don't how I got it wrong." The jury heard that at the time Dr Plunkett was under a lot of pressure at work and was travelling back and forth to Northern Ireland to visit his critically ill mum, who later died.
The court also heard that around a fortnight before his death prison staff 'ignored' advice 'not to segregate' Mr O'Brien. He was placed in segregation in Forest Bank on October 25 after setting fire to items in his cells and twice 'going over the bars' - a reference to climbing over the balcony railings on the wing.
Jake O'Brien was said to be 'acutely unwell'
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But following an assessment a document known as an 'initial segregation health screen', concluded there were 'healthcare reasons' not to segregate Mr O'Brien and advised staff to 'consult the medical team'.
Huw Davies, representing Mr O'Brien's family, said that advice was 'ignored'. Mental health nurse Lauren Debenham told the court that she had not filled out the document 'to the best of my ability'.
Earlier there was also a tense exchange as the coroner Michael Pemberton accused Ms Debenham of 'passing the buck'. It came during questioning over what actions she took when she discovered Mr O'Brien wasn't taking his prescribed anti-psychotic medication.
She replied: "Upon finding out that information and reviewing his notes it was handed over to the secondary team that he wasn't compliant with his medication."
The inquest, which began on Monday, is expected to last for three weeks.