Husband Sues Over Wife's Prison Suicide

A man is to sue the prison authorities after his wife killed herself in jail following repeated threats that she would do so.

Brian McKeown is to lodge civil proceedings over his wife Frances's death inside Hydebank Wood Women's Prison in Belfast.

The decision to launch legal action follows an investigation by the Prisoner Ombudsman which highlighted 18 issues of concern relating to the woman’s care in custody.

Mrs McKeown hanged herself in May 2011.

The incident occurred just hours after an inmate in the young offenders centre at Hydebank Wood took his own life.

Ombudsman Pauline McCabe revealed that despite her history of self-harm, psychiatric hospitalisation and a personality disorders, it was six months before Mrs McKeown was seen by a prison psychiatrist.

The solicitor of the 23-year-old mother-of-two, Kevin Winters, said he would be beginning High Court action for damages.

He said the report highlighted "glaring failures".

"The awful tragedy of Frances McKeown's suicide should draw a line under the threat of prison suicides ever happening again," he added.

Legal action will now be taken against the Northern Ireland Prison Service and the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, which is responsible for prisoners' healthcare.

Mrs McKeown was living in Belfast prior to her arrest in September 2010 and was awaiting sentencing following a conviction in relation to a hijacking.

It is believed Mrs McKeown had witnessed a female prisoner and a prison officer kiss, and that her claims were not properly investigated by then governor Gary Alcock.

Mrs McCabe examined whether the incident had led to her being bullied by fellow inmates, who believed she had informed the authorities about it.

It was found some non-physical bullying had taken place but it was unlikely this directly factored in Mrs McKeown’s suicide.

(IT)