John Austin: Final bid for inquiry

MP Demands Inquiry into Prisoner's Death

The family of 25-year-old Kenneth Severin has been pressing for a fresh investigation after an inquest jury returned an open verdict earlier this year after his death at Belmarsh jail, south east London.

The Prisons Ombudsman, Sir Peter Woodhead, has already said he cannot take up the case as he can only inquire into complaints made directly by prisoners and not their families.

Despite this setback, Mr Severin's MP, John Austin, is referring the case to the Parliamentary Ombudsman, Michael Buckley, in a final attempt to secure a fresh investigation.

Deborah Coles of the pressure group Inquest, which campaigns on death in custody cases, said that Mr Severin, who had a history of schizophrenia, had died in "violent and disturbing" circumstances which needed investigating.

The unemployed father of two was remanded to Belmarsh in November 1995 after being arrested trying to break into the home of a former girlfriend.

The inquest was told that he was moved into a cell in the prison's hospital wing for allegedly being disruptive. He later collapsed.

Ms Coles claimed that the way he was restrained by officers had led to his death.

"Kenneth Severin died in a brutal and terrifying manner in the custody of prison officers using a form of restraint that has resulted in previous deaths and yet both prison officers and those responsible for their training claimed they were not aware of any dangers," she said.