Boy no longer Polmont suicide risk after 'five-minute' meeting

The decision to remove a teenager from being considered a suicide risk was made after a "five-minute" meeting, a fatal accident inquiry has heard.

William Brown, also known as William Lindsay, took his own life at Polmont YOI in October 2018.

The 16-year-old had been on 30-minute observations when he was admitted to Polmont but was removed from them following a case conference the morning after his arrival.

The teenager died two days later.

Prison officer Natalie Cameron said she did not see information about William that had been sent over from the social work department in Glasgow and that if she had seen it he would have been kept on the Scottish Prison Service's observations programme, called Talk to Me.

When asked by Mark Stewart KC, who is representing William's father, "what was your reason for not asking to see the paperwork?", Ms Cameron replied "I don't really have an answer to that. I didn't feel I had to look into it anymore."

Mr Stewart asked if she'd agree that was "now a difficult decision to justify."

She replied, "Yes."

According to paperwork, the case conference to decide whether to keep William on Talk to Me lasted five minutes, although Ms Cameron told the inquiry she believed it had been longer.

Throughout the following day, other reports came into Polmont about the teenager, including a report from its social work team that stated he had poor mental health, had previously self harmed, previously threatened suicide and was of very low mood, but put on a "front" of acting tough.

Another report from a support worker said they had "real concerns for him."

Ms Cameron stated that if she had seen the subsequent information she would have put him back on the observations programme.

The inquiry previously heard that between 2016 and 2018, William had been taken to hospital on at least 15 occasions due to suicide attempts and thoughts, excess drug use and fighting.

When he arrived at Polmont, the procurator fiscal had sent a fax saying he was a suicide risk and social work had stated there were concerns.

However, Ms Cameron said she had initially agreed with the decision to remove William from observations "based on how he had been that morning and how he spoke to us and his general demeanour."

The inquiry was shown paperwork from the case conference, which noted that "William has been in a secure unit before. Very nervous about being in jail. History of self-harm while stressed."

It was noted on the form that concerns had been raised at court. Ms Cameron said she did not recall if she ever asked what concerns were raised at court.

Ms Cameron said William wanted to be taken off Talk to Me, and those present - Ms Cameron, another officer and a mental health nurse - agreed with that.

She told Crown solicitor-advocate Leanne Cross that "he didn't present in a way that any of us felt that he was at risk of suicide or self harm at that point."

But she agreed that William met some of the prison services' "key indicators" for being at risk, being a first-timer in custody with a history of self-harm, mental health issues and drug/alcohol misuse who had expressed suicidal intent or ideas.

Mr Stewart put it to Ms Cameron that there was background information that William had been in a secure unit before, had a history of self harming and had been involved in suicide attempts.

He said "The information could have been there if you had asked to see what was in the paperwork."

The joint inquiry at Falkirk Sheriff Court is also investigating the death of 21-year-old Katie Allan, who died at the Polmont in 2018.

The inquiry continues.