Woman found dead at New Hall prison

A woman found hanging in her prison cell this week was the first
woman to die in custody this year, writes Maria
Ahmed.

Victoria Robinson was on suicide watch at New Hall prison, near
Wakefield when she was found by staff and pronounced dead after 45
minutes.

In 2004, there were three self-inflicted deaths at the prison
– a quarter of the total number of women who died in custody
last year.

A demonstration to protest against the death of Victoria
Robinson will be held outside New Hall prison on February 10.

The announcement came as an inquest began into the death of
Jolene Willis, who died at HMP Styal in April 2003.

Willis was the fourth woman to die in a 12-month period at the
prison between August 2002 and August 2003.

Deborah Coles, co-director of INQUEST said: “This shameful
and relentless death toll exposes a crisis in women’s
prisons, and the numbers of women being sent to prisons that cannot
protect their right to life.”