Prisoner facing extradition took his own life after HMP Wandsworth staff failed regular checks

By Charlotte Lillywhite, Local Democracy Reporter 

A prisoner facing extradition to Poland took his own life at HMP Wandsworth after staff failed to check on him every hour. 

Piotr Marszalek, 34, had already tried to take his own life a week before he was found unresponsive in his cell on June 8, 2021.

A Prisons and Probation Ombudsman report found that, despite Mr Marszalek’s suicide attempt, staff reduced his observations to hourly. 

The report slammed “failings” in the prison’s management of suicide and self-harm procedures, including delays and lack of involvement of healthcare staff in his case.

Mr Marszalek was sent to HMP Wandsworth on October 7, 2019, after Polish authorities issued an arrest warrant for charges of actual bodily harm, theft and driving offences. 

He was handed an extradition order to Poland on January 21, 2020, which he appealed, but it appeared he was still waiting for the decision when he died 16 months later.

Mr Marszalek was managed under the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) programme – which cares for those at risk of suicide – eight times at the prison. He tried to take his own life several times and self-harmed.

The ombudsman found he was often under the influence of illegally brewed alcohol, known as hooch, and ‘more could have been done by the healthcare team’ to address his repeated drunkenness. 

Staff started the last period of ACCT monitoring on May 29, 2021, after Mr Marszalek self-harmed. He was moved to another cell after he smashed and flooded his own.

Mr Marszalek attempted to take his own life on May 30. Staff took him back to his original cell, after he returned from hospital that morning, which was still damaged. He was not seen by healthcare staff.

While an initial assessment interview and case review should have taken place within 24 hours of ACCT being opened, this did not occur until May 31. A supervising officer decided to reduce his observations to hourly.

Mr Marszalek told staff he was ‘not in a good place’ on June 6. A prison support worker spoke to him on June 8 at around 4.25am.

But he found him unresponsive in his cell, having taken his own life, at the next check at 5.40am. Healthcare staff and paramedics tried to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead at 6.40am.

An inquest in July this year found a probable cause of Mr Marszalek’s death was his mental health exacerbated by factors including “uncertainty” about a hospital appointment date for a nose injury, heightened by the extradition order. 

A second probable cause was that observations of his cell on June 7 and 8, established a “pattern with poor quality engagement” and some “exceeded the hourly intervals”.

The report said healthcare staff should have seen him after his suicide attempt on May 30, and that it was “unacceptable” he was returned to a “smashed and flooded” cell.

There were seven suicides at HMP Wandsworth from December 2020 to June 2021, including Mr Marszalek’s death. The ombudsman had previously raised concerns about the prison’s ACCT management.

An Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: “We are working with the prison leadership to action the recommendations in the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman’s report and from the coroner’s inquest.”

A Prison Service spokesperson added: “Our thoughts remain with the friends and family of Piotr Marszalek. Staff at HMP Wandsworth have been given additional training in suicide and self-harm prevention and we are working with the Samaritans to provide further support to vulnerable prisoners.”

When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.

Pictured top: Wandsworth prison in London (Picture: Facundo Arrizabalaga)