'Punching' children in custody needs urgent review, says boy's death inquiry

Adam Rickwood became the youngest person in Britain to die in custody after he killed himself at a privately-run facility in 2004.

The teenager hanged himself with his shoelaces while on remand at the Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in County Durham.

An inquest jury returned a verdict of suicide following a month-long hearing into the circumstances surrounding the death.

The court heard how hours before his death he had been restrained by staff using a controversial "nose distraction technique" which involved striking him in the face.

The blow left his face "covered in blood" and Adam said he felt his nose had been broken, according to the report.

A long-awaited investigation published today by the Lancashire Safeguarding Children Board made a number of recommendations including suggesting pain distraction techniques be reviewed "as a matter of urgency".

The study also called for a national review of the use of restraint at secure units combined with a period of open consultation.

The inquest at Chester-le-Street Magistrates' Court earlier this year heard Adam had written to his mother, Carol Pounder, saying he would kill himself if he was not taken out of the unit.

The teenager had been sent to the centre on remand, on July 10 2004 and died just over a month later despite repeatedly telling his mother of his fears.

He suffered from mental health problems, drink and drug abuse, suicidal tendencies and a history of self harming, the inquest heard.

At around 6.30pm on the evening of August 8 Adam was with three other youths at the centre. The group became rowdy and were ordered back to their rooms but Adam refused.

He was forcibly carried to his room and lashed out at staff trying to head-butt and bite them.

Adam was warned twice that if he failed to cooperate staff would use a nose restraint - a technique involving a sharp and painful strike to the base of the nose.

He failed to comply and was hit in the face and returned to his room. The boy was found hanged at around midnight.

Among the recommendations in today's report it was suggested: "That all 'pain distraction' techniques used on children be reviewed as a matter of urgency.

"The use of restraint in the whole of the secure estate is reviewed nationally and that any proposed changes made to the current system are subject to a period of open consultation."

Authors also recommended children aged under 16 should be remanded into secure units within 50 miles of their home.

A Justice Department spokeswoman said: "In July 2007, the Ministry of Justice with the Department for Children, Schools and Families announced a joint review on the use of restraint across a range of juvenile secure settings.

"The review will consult widely and will build on the extensive programme of work the YJB (Youth Justice Board) has already undertaken around the use of restraint and will look at how best to manage the challenging behaviour of this group of young people."

The danger of restraints was brought to public attention most recently following the death of 15-year-old Gareth Myatt.

Gareth was the first child to die while being restrained in custody when he choked to death at the Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre in April 2004.

Just 4ft 10ins tall and weighing less than seven stone, Gareth was held down by two male officers and a female colleague using the Home Office-approved Seated Double Embrace (SDE) restraint.

Gareth, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs, is said to have died from "positional asphyxia" after choking on his own vomit as he was held down in the hold, which has since been banned by the Home Office.

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The letter Adam sent home before he killed himself

Deborah Coles, co-director of support charity Inquest, said today's report highlighted the issue of restraint of vulnerable children in secure accommodation.

She said: "This report is a vindication of our campaign regarding the issue of restraint.

"We have always called for a public inquiry into the treatment of children because we feel these cases raise the question of the treatment of children, who have already been identified as vulnerable.

"We have absolutely no confidence that any of the lessons which should have been learned, have in fact been taken on board.

"This report recognises the urgency of the matter. We fear that if no action is taken by the Government soon, another child may die in custody.

"We have serious concerns that the restraints used are being used excessively. "We also believe they may contravene the European Convention on Human Rights."

She added the organisation had contacted Justice Secretary Jack Straw calling for a meeting to discuss the issue, but had so far received no response.

Ms Coles criticised the Government for announcing a review of juvenile restraint in July, but not yet announcing the terms of the inquiry.

Director of the Howard League for Penal Reform, Frances Crook, said: "We strongly agree with the safeguarding board's recommendations.

"Our approach to youth justice needs a radical shake up, and the tragedy of Adam's death highlights many of the problems we face.

"In particular, we welcome the board's comments on the use of painful physical restraint.

"Locking troubled children up, subjecting them to what in any other setting could well be termed child abuse, then releasing them back on the streets burning with resentment is not a recipe for cutting crime."

Mrs Pounder, 39, who has three teenage daughters, said she was delighted at the report but doubted it would result in positive change for young detainees.

She said: "I have seen video footage of the the guards attacking Adam and it is horrific. It goes far beyond restraint. It is simply bullying.

"He was never an angel when he was younger but he did not deserve to be treated like that. He was a boisterous and fun loving little lad.

"I only found out about the fact they used a nose distraction on him months after he died.

"They call it something clever like a nose distraction restraint but in truth it is just punching children on the nose. They shouldn't be allowed to do something like that to a child.

"It breaks my heart thinking about what he must have gone through in his final hours."

Referring to the death of Gareth, Mrs Pounder added: "After all the suffering my Adam went through and all the talk about how things would change, to hear about the death of that other boy was really upsetting.

"They squeezed the life out of him. They watched him turn blue and die right in front of them.

"Now the Government are trying to change the law to make it legal for these adults to do this to children. It is a disgrace."