Claims that a remand prisoner in Maghaberry was bullied by an officer on the day he took his own life have been questioned in an inquest.
Daniel McConville (22) from Lurgan was found unresponsive in his cell in Maghaberry on August 28, 2018.
With 80 previous convictions and diagnosed with ADHD, he had spent time in Hydebank as a minor and had a history of depression, self-harm and drug abuse.
A report by the Prisoner Ombudsman had previously been unable to verify claims that he was bullied by staff, stating it was more likely “at least in part” that he had challenging behaviour and staff were unaware of his background.
On Monday, the inquest held in Armagh heard from Maghaberry prisoner Roy Kerr who said that on the day of Mr McConville’s death he had witnessed a prison officer slap a plate of food out of his hand and shove him back into his cell.
On Tuesday, a prison governor at Maghaberry responded to Mr Kerr’s evidence.
She told the inquest: “Mr Kerr is a very challenging man with probably his own set of complex needs and will take every opportunity he has to raise complaints of all sorts of natures”.
Giving evidence for a second time via video-link from Maghaberry on Tuesday, Mr Kerr was questioned about why he didn’t then make a complaint about the alleged assault on Mr McConville.
He told the coroner Joe McCrisken that this was because he was not allowed to make complaints on behalf of other prisoners, but that he was later interviewed by the Prisoner Ombudsman.
The coroner noted that Mr Kerr was serving a life sentence over attempted murder and arson, for trying to start a fire at the house of witnesses who were going to give evidence against him.
“You lied about it and then the Court of Appeal upheld your conviction, and you’re in prison because of that,” said the coroner.
“But you’re not lying about this,” to which Mr Kerr replied “no”.
Earlier on Tuesday, the inquest heard from a senior prison officer who opened a SPAR (Supporting Prisoners at Risk) for Mr McConville on the day of his death, which meant he was observed every 30 minutes.
She said Mr McConville was crying when she visited him, something she said was not very unusual in prison, and he had told her about thoughts of self-harm, but not suicide.
He had also mentioned his claims about bullying from staff, but refused to name anyone.
After causing damage to his cell, he had asked her to be moved away from Erne House, where his cell was on the ground floor, to another building in Maghaberry with a greater focus on treating prisoners with mental health problems.
She had supported this but was told he was not suitable for the move.
The inquest continues.