Deaths in Custody

[Stephanie]

Here's a screen shot of part of one of the blogs written about me and SH in 2013

Oh the irony.....

To be clear - We know the author of the blog and we have copies of the entire content of the blog.

[Stephanie]

To be clear - We know the author of the blog and we have copies of the entire content of the blog.

And I do plan on taking civil action following the inquest. 

[Stephanie]

"A coroner has called for a formal investigation into deaths at Wandsworth Prison after 11 men died at the category B prison last year.

Dr Fiona Wilcox was speaking at a pre-inquest hearing into the deaths of two prisoners who shared the same cell in C wing and both hanged themselves months apart.

Convicted rapist Robert Richards, 22, from Chessington, died on July 29, 2014, and left a note referring to “debts” he had inherited from his former cell mate Ian Pearson, 42, who died on March 3.

Today The Royal Courts of Justice heard this debt was £24.

Richards, a father-of-one and labourer from Chessington, died just days before he was due to be sentenced for raping and attempting to murder a pensioner in her 70s.

The woman was left in need of hospital treatment for injuries including a broken hip, vertebrae, jaw, ribs and a bleed on the brain in the violent attack in her home in October 2013.

But Dr Wilcox said an inquest into Richards’ death could not go on because of the various “themes and common issues” involved in the deaths at the 164-year-old prison – three times more than would be expected at a prison, she added.

She said: “We are at the very early stages of this inquiry. At the moment there are black holes in this investigation.”

She added the scope of the investigation should look at how complaints and concerns about bullying were handled and responded to by the prison, particularly in relation to the extortion of money and both physical and sexual assaults in custody.

A new date for another inquest hearing is yet to be set.

Dr Wilcox suggested she may visit Wandsworth Prison in the meantime.
     
In April, Richards’ mother June Richards and step-father Andy, of Elm Road in Chessington, were both arrested on suspicion of historical rape and sexual abuse.

They have been bailed until later this month while police investigate."

http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/13382863.Inquest_of_man_who_tried_to_murder_pensioner_delayed_as_coroner_calls_for_investigation_into_10_other_deaths_at_Wandsworth_prison/

[Stephanie]

"A coroner has called for a formal investigation into deaths at Wandsworth Prison after 11 men died at the category B prison last year.

Dr Fiona Wilcox was speaking at a pre-inquest hearing into the deaths of two prisoners who shared the same cell in C wing and both hanged themselves months apart.

Convicted rapist Robert Richards, 22, from Chessington, died on July 29, 2014, and left a note referring to “debts” he had inherited from his former cell mate Ian Pearson, 42, who died on March 3.

Today The Royal Courts of Justice heard this debt was £24.

Richards, a father-of-one and labourer from Chessington, died just days before he was due to be sentenced for raping and attempting to murder a pensioner in her 70s.

The woman was left in need of hospital treatment for injuries including a broken hip, vertebrae, jaw, ribs and a bleed on the brain in the violent attack in her home in October 2013.

But Dr Wilcox said an inquest into Richards’ death could not go on because of the various “themes and common issues” involved in the deaths at the 164-year-old prison – three times more than would be expected at a prison, she added.

She said: “We are at the very early stages of this inquiry. At the moment there are black holes in this investigation.”

She added the scope of the investigation should look at how complaints and concerns about bullying were handled and responded to by the prison, particularly in relation to the extortion of money and both physical and sexual assaults in custody.

A new date for another inquest hearing is yet to be set.

Dr Wilcox suggested she may visit Wandsworth Prison in the meantime.
     
In April, Richards’ mother June Richards and step-father Andy, of Elm Road in Chessington, were both arrested on suspicion of historical rape and sexual abuse.

They have been bailed until later this month while police investigate."

http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/13382863.Inquest_of_man_who_tried_to_murder_pensioner_delayed_as_coroner_calls_for_investigation_into_10_other_deaths_at_Wandsworth_prison/

"The mother and step-father of Chessington rapist Robert Richards have been arrested on suspicion of historical rape and sexual abuse.

Richards, 22, raped a pensioner in her 70s leaving her in need of hospital treatment for injuries including a broken hip, vertebrae, jaw, ribs and a bleed on the brain in the violent attack in her own home in October 2013.

But the former labourer was found hanged in his Wandsworth prison cell just days before he was due to be sentenced for his crime.

It has now emerged his mother June Richards, who has three other children, and her husband Andy were arrested at their home address in Elm Road, Chessington last month.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Two people - aged 47 and 49 - were arrested in the Kingston borough on Thursday, March 5 in relation to allegations of historical rape and sexual abuse.

"Enquiries are ongoing. They have been bailed pending further enquiries until late May."

It is believed the arrests were made following a suicide note left by Richards that also claimed he had been bullied inside prison.

At the time of his death half-brother Matthew Cook, who shared a father with Richards, said his brother "was not as bad as people made him out to be."
     
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman is investigating Richards’ death.

An inquest into his death is also yet to be concluded."


http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/local/kingstonnews/12881817.Mother_and_step_father_of_man_who_raped_pensioner_arrested_on_suspicion_of_historical_rape_and_sexual_abuse/

[Stephanie]

"The mother and step-father of Chessington rapist Robert Richards have been arrested on suspicion of historical rape and sexual abuse.

Richards, 22, raped a pensioner in her 70s leaving her in need of hospital treatment for injuries including a broken hip, vertebrae, jaw, ribs and a bleed on the brain in the violent attack in her own home in October 2013.

But the former labourer was found hanged in his Wandsworth prison cell just days before he was due to be sentenced for his crime.

It has now emerged his mother June Richards, who has three other children, and her husband Andy were arrested at their home address in Elm Road, Chessington last month.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Two people - aged 47 and 49 - were arrested in the Kingston borough on Thursday, March 5 in relation to allegations of historical rape and sexual abuse.

"Enquiries are ongoing. They have been bailed pending further enquiries until late May."

It is believed the arrests were made following a suicide note left by Richards that also claimed he had been bullied inside prison.

At the time of his death half-brother Matthew Cook, who shared a father with Richards, said his brother "was not as bad as people made him out to be."
     
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman is investigating Richards’ death.

An inquest into his death is also yet to be concluded."


http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/local/kingstonnews/12881817.Mother_and_step_father_of_man_who_raped_pensioner_arrested_on_suspicion_of_historical_rape_and_sexual_abuse/

"The rapist who tried to kill a Chessington pensioner last year was bullied in prison and prescribed anti-depressants before his apparent suicide, a court has heard.

Robert Richards, 22, was convicted in June of raping and attempting to murder a woman in her 70s last October.

He died last week after being found unresponsive in his cell at Wandsworth Prison.

At a final Kingston Crown Court hearing yesterday, the court was told Richards experienced "depressive" symptoms after the suicide of his cell mate in March.

Half brother of Robert Richards says rapist 'not as bad as people made out'
A psychiatric report prepared for Richards' sentencing said: "[The symptoms] appear to be responding well to a low dose of anti-depressant medicine."

The cell mate is understood to have been Anthony Ian Pearson, 51, who was found dead in the cell on Monday, March 3.

At the hearing prosecutor Jonathan Loades said Richards left a short note.

He said: "It indicated that he had been bullied - I think that is one way of putting it - during the time that he was in prison."

Richards, of Pear Tree Close, Chessington, was taken to St George's Hospital in Tooting at about 9am on Tuesday, July 29, and put on life support.

He died at about 9.50pm the same day.

Closing the file on Richards and commenting on the bravery of his victim, Judge Nicholas Price QC said: "In my experience both at the Bar and on the bench I have never had to deal with a case of such gravity, with a victim of that age and in such frail health.

"She has to be commended for her courage in giving evidence in the way in which she did before the jury."

The four police officers involved in the case were commended by Mr Loades for their "diligence, tenacity and professionalism" throughout the investigation and trial.

They are: Det Insp Nicky Arrowsmith; Det Sgt Melissa Laremore; Det Con Helen Rainbow; and PC Eileen Larrigan.

Det Insp Arrowsmith said after the hearing: "I would rather spend today focusing on and giving tribute to the courage of the victim in this case, who is now getting on with her life.

"This type of crime is extremely rare. [Officers] will continue to pursue people that commit offences as abhorrent as this."

A post-mortem examination was carried out on Richards on Thursday.

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman is investigating both his death and that of Mr Pearson."

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/11388046.Chessington_rapist_Robert_Richards__bullied_in_prison__before_suspected_suicide/