An inquest into the death of Peter Lynch, a 61-year-old man who died in prison two months after being jailed for his role in rioting outside an asylum seeker hotel, has heard that he behaved “strangely” following his arrest. Mr Lynch was found hanged in his cell at HMP Moorland in Doncaster on 19 October 2024. He had been convicted of violent disorder relating to anti-immigration protests that erupted in Manvers, Rotherham, in August 2024.
During the ongoing inquest at Doncaster Coroner's Court, police officers recounted Mr Lynch's demeanour in custody. Sergeant Ryan Handley from South Yorkshire Police told the jury he had made a note of Mr Lynch's “strange” and “confused” presentation at the Shepcote Lane police station in Sheffield. This included Mr Lynch declining food and drink, refusing to provide his surname, and answering every question by stating he was “Peter, living man, son of Michael and Lily.”
Sgt Handley testified that, in retrospect, Mr Lynch should have been referred to the liaison and diversion team, which specialises in addressing mental health issues among detainees. When questioned by Doncaster's senior coroner, Nicola Mundy, if he had noticed any “red flags” in Mr Lynch's presentation at the time, Sgt Handley replied that he had not. However, when asked by Richard Copnall, representing Mr Lynch’s family, if involving the mental health team would have been “sensible,” Sgt Handley conceded, “With hindsight, yes.”
The inquest also heard a statement from another police officer detailing the discovery of a flag at Mr Lynch's home in Wath-upon-Dearne, which was described as potentially linked to far-right ideology. Earlier in the proceedings, histopathologist Dr Laszlo Karsai informed the jury that Mr Lynch died by hanging. Dr Karsai noted that the state of Mr Lynch’s body, found “stiff and cold” by prison officers, suggested he had likely been deceased for at least two to three hours before his discovery.
Although traces of medication consistent with Mr Lynch's known medical history of heart disease and diabetes were found in his system, Dr Karsai confirmed that these pre-existing conditions did not contribute to his death. The 10-day inquest, which aims to examine the circumstances surrounding Mr Lynch’s death, is scheduled to resume on Tuesday.