Inquest opens into death of man 48 hours after arriving at Wandsworth prison
An inquest will look into the circumstances surrounding the death of a man 48 hours after he arrived at Wandsworth prison.
Sebastião Lucas, a 34-year-old black man, was found dead 48 hours after being remanded to Wandsworth prison on May 12, 2021.
An inquest into his death will open on October 28, at the Inner West London Coroner’s Court, and is scheduled to last for three weeks.
Mr Lucas, originally from Angola, moved to the UK with his family when he was four years old.
The family settled in London and Mr Lucas developed a passion for football. He was an avid Arsenal fan throughout his life.
On May 6, 2021, Mr Lucas was taken to St Thomas’ Hospital in Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth, after telling police he was having suicidal thoughts.
The next day, he allegedly assaulted a nurse after she told him he would be detained under the Mental Health Act.
He was arrested and taken to police custody. He was placed under constant observation and frequently told officers that he intended to self-harm and take his own life.
On May 10, Mr Lucas was taken to court and remanded to HMP Wandsworth.
Upon arrival at the prison, he told a prison nurse that he was planning to take his own life. The nurse put in place a safety plan for prisoners at risk of suicide or self-harm and referred Mr Lucas to the mental health team. He was placed on hourly observations.
But, on May 12, at around 2.30pm, a prison officer found Mr Lucas ligatured in his cell.
Staff carried out CPR and an ambulance was called. Mr Lucas was pronounced dead by paramedics shortly after their arrival.
The inquest into his death will seek to examine events that took place from April 2021 until Mr Lucas’ death, including previous admissions to hospital during this time.
Since Mr Lucas’ death, 24 people have died at HMP Wandsworth, 14 of these were self-inflicted deaths.
On May 9, 2024, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) issued an urgent notification regarding the conditions of Wandsworth prison following the self-inflicted deaths of seven inmates in the past year.
Mr Lucas’ family are represented by Birnberg Peirce and Garden Court Chambers.
A Prison Service spokesman said:“Our thoughts remain with the friends and family of Sebastião Lucas.
“The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman are investigating and we will consider both their and the coroner’s findings.”
Pictured top: Wandsworth Prison (Picture: PA)