Plaid Cymru AM Leanne Wood has urged the Welsh Assembly Health Minister to do what she can to ensure vulnerable prisoners are assessed properly.
During questions to Edwina Hart, Ms Wood highlighted the tragic case of Emmanuel Buyoya, a 20-year-old who hanged himself in HMP Parc in Bridgend after being on remand and in segregation for three months.
The subsequent inquest found that Mr Buyoya had been placed in segregation for a considerable amount of time and that his mental health had deteriorated to such an extent that it contributed to his decision to take his own life.
During plenary Ms Wood, a former probation officer who now represents the South Wales Central region at the Assembly, said: “I am aware that a private health firm was involved in the care of Mr Buyoya while he was in custody, but what can you do to ensure that vulnerable prisoners are assessed and treated adequately in Welsh prisons, whether they are private or state-run prisons, so that we can have confidence that everything is being done to avoid a repeat of such a tragic story?”
In reply, Edwina Hart said: “I will give consideration to what more we can do in an area that is, essentially, non-devolved, as, like you, I feel that these are vulnerable times in people’s lives.
“A young male who has been remanded in prison for the first time is most at risk of self-harm, and we have to look at those issues. I am not sure about the extent of my powers or my ability to influence, but I would certainly be happy to take up these issues on your behalf.”
