Norwich prisoner found hanging in cell – inquest

An inquest heard Tuesday that a prisoner who was discovered hung in a cell two weeks before to his release had confided in officials that he thought he would perish in custody.

On January 26, of last year, Arenijus Leonovas, 20, was found hanging at Norwich Prison. He was successfully cut down and given CPR by prison guards and medical personnel. However, he passed away the next day in the hospital when medical professionals determined he could no longer be kept on life support due to serious brain damage.

His passing was the third prison fatality in less than two months; the bodies of Adam Baughurst, 22, and Martin Dixon, 48, were both discovered in their cells, prompting an assessment of the jail’s security.

Marie Coles, a prison officer, testified during a coroner’s inquest at the Assembly House in Norwich. She noted that since Mr. Leonovas was placed in the young offenders’ wing, his behaviour had changed.

“He had always been a smiley chap, very polite and bubbly,” she continued. He was quite silent on the new landing, though.

‘Tonight I’m going to die in this prison and you are going to read about it in the newspaper tomorrow,’ he told me,’ on January 23.

I talked to him when I followed him back to his cell. He said that voices could be heard talking through his window at night and threatening to kill him.

Mr. Leonovas was transferred to a different wing and was frequently observed. However, three days later, nurses received word of a “code blue” occurrence, which indicated that the man had ceased breathing.

“I wondered if that might have been playing on his mind,” stated prison governor Martin Edwards. “There were three young offenders on the wing at the time who were charged with murder and one was a very high profile case.”

The young offenders’ wing had a very rowdy culture, and the noise levels at night could be very frightening for anyone, especially for someone who might not have comprehended what was being said because English was their second language.

“I didn’t believe he was being bullied or that he had mental health issues.” It’s possible that he experienced the notion of vulnerability that is typical of inmates.

Inmates would shout during the night to either converse with one another or to frighten one another, Ms. Coles continued. To be heard more clearly, some would learn how to bounce their voices off walls.

In an effort to lessen unrest, juvenile offenders have been housed with regular inmates since the tragedy.

August 2008 saw Mr. Leonovas, a recent Great Yarmouth resident originally from Lithuania, receive a two-year prison sentence for an affray crime. Later, the punishment was lowered to one year on appeal.