Prison guard left grim message before his death
A PRISON officer who drowned in a lake had been angry with Gartree Prison senior management over the lack of support he had received after dealing with the deaths of three inmates, an inquest has heard.
John Healy (50), of Fleckney, was found face down in a lake near the tiny village of Newton Harcourt on June 25, 2008.
Mr Healy, a senior officer at Gartree Prison, had been signed off work since November 2007, the inquest at Leicester Town Hall was told yesterday (Wednesday).
His body was found just a few days before he had been due to return back to work.
The inquest heard how the words "f*** dep gov cow" had been scrawled in blood on the wall of a house Mr Healy had been renovating.
The grim message was discovered shortly after Mr Healy's death.
At yesterday's inquest, coroner Donald Coutts-Wood asked Gartree's former deputy governor Sharon Williams if she thought the words referred to her.
"No", she replied.
"Can you give me any explanation as to why he might have written that?"
asked Mr Coutts-Wood.
"No," Miss Williams replied again.
A statement by Mr Healy's GP, Dr Saskia Freestone of Kibworth Medical Centre, stated that Mr Healy had been signed off work after complaining of anxiety and flashbacks following the deaths of three inmates, which he had dealt with.
Mr Healy had been prescribed anti-depressants and was undergoing therapy in the months while he was off work.
Elaine Bevins, the occupational health advisor at Gartree Prison, told the inquest she had met with Mr Healy and his line manager to discuss his return to work on June 10.
She said Mr Healy still had "issues" over the deaths of the three prisoners as well as a disturbing incident in 2005 involving another inmate, Gavin Walker.
She added: "He still had issues over the Gavin Walker incident because he didn't feel he was supported by management."
Coroner Mr Coutts-Wood asked: "Presumably his anger was aimed at the prison service?"
"Yes," replied Mrs Bevin.
The inquest heard Mr Healy was also unhappy on June 10 over a summons
he had received to give evidence at an inquest into one of the prisoner's deaths.
Mr Healy had worked at the prison since 1996 and had transferred to C wing in December 2006. He had applied for different positions at Gartree and other prisons but had been unsuccessful.
The inquest was scheduled to conclude later today (Thursday).
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