16 November 2018

Before HM Coroner for Inner North London, Ms Mary Hassell
St Pancras Coroner’s Court sitting at Wood Green Crown Court, Lordship Lane, Wood Green, London N22 5LF
Opening Monday 19 November, expected to last 3 weeks

The inquest into the death of 21 year old Jamal Mohamoud will open on Monday 19 November. Jamal was fatally attacked and stabbed with a large knife by prisoners in HMP Pentonville on 18 October 2016.

Concerns around prisoner safety and the high levels of violence at HMP Pentonville have been noted by previous inspection reports.

It is hoped that this inquest will explore:

• the prison’s response to specific information about knives on the wing and imminent violence on the wing
• the prison’s response to the risk of violence resulting in Jamal’s death

The family of Jamal said: “We hope this inquest will explore how Jamal died and why the prison was unable to keep him safe”.

Anita Sharma, caseworker at INQUEST said: “The inquest into the homicide of Jamal takes place against the backdrop of ongoing, and increasing, deterioration in prison safety in England and Wales. It is imperative that there is proper scrutiny into how Jamal came to die under these violent circumstances and any failings are identified so future deaths can be prevented”. 
 
ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

For further information or to note your interest, please contact Lucy McKay and Sarah Uncles on 020 7263 1111 or [email protected][email protected]

The family is represented by INQUEST Lawyers Group members Shaki Sanusi of Birnberg Peirce Solicitors and Ifeanyi Odogwu of Garden Court Chambers.

The family request that the press respect their privacy.

The Interested Persons represented in the inquest proceedings are Jamal’s family and the Ministry of Justice / HMP Pentonville.

• Jamal Mohamoud's death was one of seven deaths at HMP Pentonville in 2016.

• HM Inspectorate of Prisons held an announced inspection of HMP Pentonville in January 2017 and found the safety outcomes for prisoners were poor. Only four of the 19 recommendations in the area of safety made at the previous inspection in February 2015 had been achieved.

• Since Jamal’s death in October 2016, there have been a further seven homicides across the prison estate.

• The recent annual report from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman voiced grave concerns about prison conditions, and found prisoners continue to die preventable deaths.

• The latest Ministry of Justice Safety in Custody Statistics show an 8% rise in deaths in prison, with 328 total deaths in the 12 months to September. It also highlights that assaults and serious assaults have reached record levels, both on prisoners and staff.