Luton prisoner found unresponsive in cell at The Mount jail had committed suicide

Warning: This story contains details some may find distressing

Dale Samm, 28, was found unresponsive by prison staff at The Mount in Bovingdon near Hemel on September 25, 2022. He had been jailed for two months and 23 days in August of the same year for property damage and carrying a bladed weapon.

He was moved to HMP The Mount from HMP Bedford on 30 August. It was there he hung himself in his cell.

The independent investigation into his death by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman found “some delays with the emergency response when Mr Samm was found unresponsive”.

Kimberley Bingham, Acting Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, said: “There was a delay in staff calling the medical emergency code and in entering the cell. Although it made no difference to the outcome for Mr Samm as he was dead when found, it is important that staff respond quickly to future medical emergencies as any delays could be critical.”

The staff member who found Mr Samm in this cell had initially thought he was intoxicated, and “knocked a few times to try and rouse him”.

He had prescribed methadone, a heroin substitute, in his system at the time of his death.

The Ombudsman looked into whether the prisoner gave any indication that he was thinking about taking his life.

The report stated: “Mr Samm gave no indication to staff that he was at risk of suicide and self-harm during his few weeks at The Mount. We are satisfied that staff could not have foreseen his death.

"There is no record that Mr Samm was involved in any fights while at The Mount. The prison confirmed that he did not report anything to staff.”

Staff conducted a mental health review during his time at the Hemel Hempstead prison. The Ombudsman said: “Mr Samm told the nurse that he was having flashbacks to a past incident where he was stabbed but said he had no thoughts of suicide or self-harm. The nurse advised Mr Samm to self-refer to the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) team for support with his flashbacks and said he could contact the mental health team for any further support.”

After his death, his family were visited by prison staff and HMP The Mount paid towards his funeral costs.

The report stated: “The clinical reviewer did not identify any issues with the mental or physical healthcare provided to Mr Samm while he was in prison.”

Suicide is preventable and support is available, such as Samaritans’ helpline. When life is difficult, Samaritans are there – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at [email protected], or visit their website.