The death of Peter Lynch, a 61-year-old man who died by hanging in HMP Moorland two months after being jailed for his involvement in violent disorder outside a hotel housing asylum seekers, has led to revelations about his struggles while incarcerated. The inquest into Mr Lynch's death has heard that he had previously attempted to take his own life while on remand.
Leonard Tyler, who shared a cell with Mr Lynch at HMP Doncaster before his transfer to HMP Moorland, described him as "a really nice, genuine guy" but noted that he was struggling with the harsh realities of prison life – an experience that had never previously befallen him.
Mr Tyler recounted an incident where he returned to their shared cell to find Mr Lynch on the floor, seeking medical attention. Upon his return, he found Mr Lynch standing, claiming to be fine, but observed a mark on his neck and what appeared to be evidence of a ligature. When questioned, Mr Lynch apologised and admitted that he had tried to take his own life. Mr Tyler did not report this incident to prison staff, and also recalled another occasion when Mr Lynch took several prescribed tablets, leading him to vomit.
The inquest heard that Mr Lynch was arrested on 10 August 2024 for his role in the disorder outside the Holiday Inn Express earlier that month and received a sentence of two years and eight months. Mr Tyler expressed concern that despite knowing his son was also an inmate at HMP Doncaster, he had not been placed in a cell with him. He suggested this might have been due to Mr Lynch's intention to end his life, which he believed could have been thwarted if he had shared a cell with his son.
However, Nicola Wraith, who manages healthcare provision at HMP Doncaster for Practice Plus Group, stated that no concerns about Mr Lynch's mental health were raised during his time in the prison. While assessments identified physical health conditions including a previous heart attack and ongoing cardiac problems, they found "no evidence of any previous mental health issues." She confirmed that any report of a suspected ligature incident would have automatically triggered a mental health assessment, but denied that this had occurred during Mr Lynch's time at HMP Doncaster.