The parents of a 'vulnerable and disabled' man, 21, who was found dead in his cell at Wakefield Prison have told of their desperate search for answers over the treatment of their son.
Jeremie Simmons was found hanged in his cell in the segregation unit at the maximum security Category A men's prison - nicknamed 'Monster Mansion' due to the number of high-profile, high-risk sex offenders and murderers held there - on May 4, 2022.
His dad, Steve, and stepmum, Maria, say they have serious concerns over 'failures' in the mental healthcare provided to their son during his time at Wakefield. It is believed that Jeremie suffered from PTSD as a result of being abused and neglected as a child and may also have had autism. He also had a mild learning disability, reports YorkshireLive.
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The pair say they have been angered by inital findings by independent investigators working with the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, which highlight evidence of 'systemic failures' in the mental healthcare provided to Jeremie at Wakefield. It said his needs and risk factors had been well documented but the mental health team at Wakefield did not consider them.
The Ombudsman said the mental health team also failed to share the information with prison staff which meant that mental healthcare effectively stopped. The Ombudsman said the 'extremely concerning' findings needed to be urgently addressed.
The family wants to know why Jeremie ended up being moved to Wakefield so far from his family in Portsmouth and questioned whether Wakefield was the appropriate place for his needs.
At the time of his death, Jeremie was not being monitored by the Prison Service's suicide and self-harm prevention procedure.
Maria said: "The lack of awareness of his risk history relating to suicide and self-harm makes us both angry. We want to know why he was not on suicide watch even though he had previously self-harmed."
Maria and Steve recalled speaking to Jeremie on the telephone on the day before his death. They had chatted about Formula 1 and about Jeremie's broken TV in his cell.
Maria said: "He said 'I love you mum and dad - speak to you tomorrow'." Steve added: "He seemed quite happy."
Tragically, Jeremie was found hanged in his cell the following day. He had died from asphyxia.
Maria said: "The prison has neglected his needs and not done its job properly in keeping an eye on a vulnerable prisoner."
She added: "We don't want this to happen to other families. You don't expect to have to bury a child at 21 years old."
Maria, who had known Jeremie since he was eight, said he was 'always smiling' and had a 'bubbly' personality.
He had a range of mental health issues dating back to when he was a child. He had a long history of suicide attempts. He had been given a 13-year jail sentence in 2021 after kidnapping, assaulting, robbing, and threatening to kill a 19-year-old woman in a park. He was found guilty of kidnap with intent to commit a sexual offence, reported HampshireLive.
Jeremie had a history of violent and aggressive behaviour which led to extended periods of segregation in prison. He had been transferred to various prisons and was eventually moved to Wakefield following assaults on female members of prison staff including a nurse. He found it difficult to engage with women, due to the childhood abuse he had experienced.
He was moved to Wakefield Prison on January 28, the day after his 21st birthday, and less than four months before he died.
The Ombudsman's initial report has highlighted poor communication, poor clinical records, and the absence of consideration of Jeremie's mental health history, for him effectively receiving no specific mental healthcare support while at Wakefield.
Maria and Steve are now awaiting a date for an inquest into Jeremie's death. The Ombudsman's final report is expected to be released following the conclusion of the inquest.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: "As with all deaths in custody, the Prison and Probation Ombudsman is conducting an investigation.
"We are unable to comment until their findings are published."
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