The deceased, who had worked for Serco for ten years, died from brain injuries after being kicked in the head at Blackfriars Crown Court in 2015 during the restraint of a prisoner in custody.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Serco had failed to properly analyse risk intelligence on prisoners and communicate risks and safety precautions to staff. There was a failure to have sufficient procedures in place and follow them, to provide readily accessible protective equipment, and to ensure further training was provided where identified as required.
The HSE also highlighted a continued failure to adequately staff court activities, manage working hours, assess risks of violence and aggression, communicate critical safety information, have suitable procedures in place, and to work in accordance with those procedures covering a period of over three years. Time pressures, staffing levels and business priorities had led to routine violations of procedures by staff in order to get the job done, which had gone unchallenged. This is despite such failings being brought to their attentions by HM Prisons Inspectorate, the Ministry of Justice, HSE Inspectors and Serco’s own staff.
A separate incident occurred at Woolwich Court annex in 2016, during which a member of staff was rammed against a wall and strangled. Help was delayed as there were no staff manning the annex to respond to the alarm button—there should have been 32 Serco officers at court that day, but there were only 22.
HSE inspector Helen Donnelly said: ‘Serco drastically failed in their duties to protect both Lorraine Barwell and other staff over a sustained period. Had Serco carried out their legal duties, these incidents could have been prevented.’
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