Prisoners found hanging in HMP Lowdham Grange in Nottinghamshire cells just weeks apart
A seven-week inquest has begun into the deaths of three prisoners who were all found hanging in their cells within a period of 19 days.
Anthony Binfield, David Richards and Rolandas Karbauskas died at HMP Lowdham Grange in Nottinghamshire between March 6 and 25 last year.
The deaths came just six weeks after management of the prison changed hands from Serco to Sodexo, believed to be the first private-to-private company transfer.
The facility was taken over permanently by the government just over a year later due to deteriorating safety, prisoner conditions and staffing levels.
Six inmates had died at the category B prison, which can hold 900 men, after the contract changed hands.
Opening the joint inquest at Nottingham Council House on Monday 4 November, area coroner Laurinda Bower said all three men died from hangings.
She said: "In the space of just 19 days these three men all died in circumstances where it appears they died by their own hand... while at Lowdham Grange".
"This happened within the first six weeks of Sodexo taking control of the prison as a private provider."
Binfield, 30, had been a prisoner at Lowdham Grange from August 2021. He was found in his cell on Houseblock Two on March 6 before being declared dead by paramedics at 10.19pm.
Richards was moved to the category B prison on February 24 last year after being sentenced to 27 years behind bars for the attempted murder of his wife in Essex.
The 42-year-old was formerly the boss of male stripper group Dreamboys.
He was placed on an induction wing upon his arrival at the prison, but was found unresponsive with a ligature around his neck on March 13 - the same day he was told he was being moved onto an established wing.
Karbauskas arrived at the same induction wing a week after Richards' death, where he was placed eight cells further down.
The 49-year-old was moved to the facility after being sentenced to life behind bars in November 2022 for the murder of a man at a remote property in Lincolnshire.
Five days later, on March 25, he was discovered unresponsive in his cell with a ligature around his neck and was declared dead at 10.55am.
An 11 person jury was selected for the inquest, which is expected to conclude in late January.
Legal representation for the families of Binfield and Richards in court, as well as barristers for Sodexo, Serco, the Ministry of Justice and Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust.
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