A drug dealer operating as part of a county lines firm known as the 'Johno team' died in prison amid serious healthcare failings at HMP Altcourse.
Sean Roddy, who had a history of alcohol and drug abuse, was arrested by Cheshire Police as part of an operation to target a crew of Merseyside led drug dealers flooding Chester with heroin and crack cocaine.
The gang, led by St Helens man James Bolland, used the homes of vulnerable addicts as stash-houses and used pay-as-you go phones to advertise their wares.
READ MORE: Police officer faces dangerous driving probe over young woman's death
The Blacon man was sentenced to four and a half years in prison on November 13, 2020, and was sent to the prison in Fazakerley. According to a report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO), Mr Roddy arrived at the facility with a "carrier bag full of medication" for his many ailments.
An initial health screening recorded that he had heart failure, liver failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD), and was heavily dependent on alcohol. Several medications were prescribed and he was sent to see the prison GP.
However Mr Roddy began to suffer from chest pains and shortness of breath, and although he was seen by a prison nurse on November 15 he was not admitted onto the healthcare unit and another GP appointment was instead arranged.
According to a fatal incident report by PPO Sue McAllister, on the morning of November 17, Mr Roddy was noted to be drowsy, but still he was not admitted to hospital and again referred to a GP. Before he could be seen by the prison GP, prison staff found Mr Roddy in his cells struggling to breathe and, at 3.31pm, they called a code blue (a medical emergency).
Mr Roddy was rushed to hospital where he died on November 24, with the medical cause of death being described as multi-organ failure due to cirrhosis of the liver.
Ms McAllister wrote: "We found that there were a number of failings in the healthcare he received. The clinical reviewer concluded that the healthcare Mr Roddy received at Altcourse was not of the required standard and not equivalent to that which he could have expected to receive in the community.
"The clinical reviewer was concerned, among other things, that there were delays in prescribing medication for Mr Roddy’s complex health issues, and that his alcohol detoxification and methadone treatment were not adequately monitored and recorded. In addition, Mr Roddy was prescribed alcohol detoxification medication when he had a known medical condition which was on the medication’s exclusion list."
The PPO also criticised the fact that Mr Roddy was "double cuffed" on route to hospital, and there was an 18 hour delay before the prison notified his family he had been rushed to hospital and was seriously unwell.
The report also noted that similar recommendations had been made in 2018 after the death of a prisoner. Ms McAllister said: "I am concerned that I am repeating recommendations in this report that I have made before, and that recommendations made by HM Inspectorate of Prisons in 2018 appear not to have been implemented consistently.
"The Director of Altcourse and the Head of Healthcare will need to ensure that these issues are now addressed."
READ NEXT:
Teacher's head stamped on as he lay unconscious outside takeaway
EncroChat drug boss ran rural lab while director of chemical company
Gino D'Acampo's Liverpool restaurant slapped with one star hygiene rating
Iceland fans praise 'tastiest ever' Slimming World meal
Share a Random Act of Kindness and celebrate Merseyside's warm heart
