A coroner's inquest has found that 34-year-old Josh Tarrant died in prison due to the failure of staff to recognize signs of a medical emergency during a restraining incident.
Josh Tarrant, a 34-year-old father of five, died in HMP Elmley after suffering a cardiac arrest, with a coroner's inquest concluding that prison staff failed to recognize the signs of a serious medical emergency. The inquest revealed that Tarrant had been experiencing acute behavioral disturbance prior to his death but did not receive adequate medical attention from healthcare staff. His death was determined to have been caused by cocaine toxicity, exacerbated by the lengthy and challenging restraint he was subjected to by prison personnel.
The assistant coroner, Scott Matthewson, highlighted that the failure of the prison staff to adequately respond to Tarrant's condition was a probable contributing factor to the fatal outcome. The inquest expressed grave concerns regarding the treatment Tarrant received and emphasized the importance of proper medical evaluation, especially in cases where individuals display unusual behavior patterns.
This incident raises significant questions about the protocols in place within the prison system for handling medical emergencies and the level of training given to staff in recognizing when an inmate requires urgent medical assistance. The implications of this case could prompt calls for reforms aimed at improving inmate health care and safety, particularly in relation to the handling of individuals experiencing acute distress or medical crises.
