7th woman to die at prison

I organised and led the demonstration outside the jail on May 18, to protest against the tragic death of Ms Hayes the seventh woman to die at Styal since 2002.

Protesters successfully blocked entry to the jail, as a prison van attempted to take prisoners into Styal.

The action was symbolic, indicating that women should not be taken into a prison that protesters regarded as unsafe in view of the recent death.

Police were called to the jail, but no arrests were made.

The prison van turned round, left Styal Prison and departed for HMP Altcourse.

Your report indicated that Ms Hayes was 'the seventh prisoner to commit suicide in recent years'.

When Ms Hayes' inquest takes place, the coroner will sit with a jury and it is for the jury to decide, in the light of all available evidence, whether to return a suicide verdict.

In the meantime, it is inadvisable to pre-empt the findings of the jury by referring to her death as a suicide.

In the 12 months ending August 2003, six women died in the 'care' of HMP Styal, including my daughter Sarah, aged 18.

The juries at the six inquests did not return suicide verdicts.

In the case of my daughter, the jury returned a detailed narrative verdict, stating that a 'failure in the duty of care' and 'avoidable delays' in summoning the ambulance had contributed to her death.

The cause of Sarah's death was anti-depressant prescription drug poisoning.

Since my daughter's death in 2003, a further 31 women have died in women's prisons in England (apparently self-inflicted deaths).

It is incumbent on our new Home Secretary, John Reid, to deal with the shameful problem of the suffering and deaths of vulnerable women held in the custody and care of the State.

I should like to express my condolences to the grieving family of the late Valerie Hayes, the fourth woman to die at Styal since my daughter's death.

PAULINE CAMPBELL

Malpas, Cheshire