Care home consultant jailed after holding back evidence at teen’s death inquest

BY JAMES TWOMEY
james@slpmedia.co.uk

A consultant at a care home where a teenager killed herself has been jailed for four months for with-holding evidence at an inquest.

In what is believed to be an unprecedented ruling, Duncan Lawrence, from Sydenham, who was the clinical lead at Lancaster Lodge – a specialist care home in Richmond for people with mental ill health – was given the sentence after he failed to attend the inquest into Sophie Bennett’s death.

In February this year an inquest jury found that “neglect” contributed to the death of 19-year-old Ms Bennett, who died on May 4, 2016 after she hanged herself.

Lawrence was found to have proposed considerable changes that resulted in a new care regime at the care home shortly before Sophie Bennett was found in a critical condition in the home.

The inquest heard that Sophie told her family the new regime was like a “boot camp,” and after protests from residents and staff, therapies were continued but the standard of care at the home fell, with the Care Quality Commission judging the service as ‘inadequate’ in March 2016.

After a hearing at West London Coroner’s court in May this year, HM assistant coroner John Taylor ruled that a fine of £650 should be given to Lawrence, who also failed to attend that hearing, and the case was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Lawrence pleaded guilty to the charge of withholding evidence/documentation in relation to a coroner’s inquest at Wimbledon Magistrates’ court in August.

The family of Sophie Bennett said: “We waited nearly three years for the inquest into Sophie’s death.

“It should have been the event where we would hear a full account of what happened. Duncan Lawrence’s behaviour denied us this.

“Lawrence and others have done everything they can to delay or avoid telling the truth about what happened.

“In Lawrence’s case this was despite exhaustive efforts on the part of the coroner’s court to facilitate his appearance.

“We have been deeply insulted and appalled by the contempt Lawrence has shown to the family, the court and to Sophie’s memory.

“We can only conclude that he has something to hide and the family are making submissions to the police and CPS to reopen previous, and carry out further, criminal investigations. We welcome the sentence passed.

“However, we take no comfort from it because it still does not give us what he owes us – an honest account and the withheld evidence of what happened to our beautiful and much-loved daughter.”

The care group operating at Lancaster Lodge, Richmond Psychosocial International Foundation, is no longer providing services there and is being prosecuted by the CQC alongside Peggy Jhugroo, the manager of Lancaster Lodge for their role in Ms Bennett’s death.

CPS prosecutor Katie Sinnett-Jones said: “Lawrence showed a flagrant disregard for the inquest and its processes in what was an emotional and difficult time for the Bennett family.

“He initially suggested that he may be able to attend by Skype video link.

The coroner’s court conducted a Skype test with Lawrence but later discovered that someone else had purported to be him after the Evening Standard printed a photograph of him in the paper.

“During further correspondence with the coroner’s court, Lawrence claimed he could not physically attend the inquest because of family illnesses abroad, but then went on to cite stress and safety concerns.

“I hope this prosecution provides some form of comfort to the Bennett family and shows that the CPS will prosecute those who flout the rules of court.”