Bowburn child abuser Andrew Hadwin died at HMP Durham, inquest

Andrew Hadwin, 39, was due to be jailed for his crimes on April 28 last year, but was found unresponsive on his cell toilet at HMP Durham on February 2 two weeks after being remanded in custody when a Crown Court jury found him and partner Cheryl Pickles guilty of a string of offences.

An inquest jury at Crook Coroners’ Court today (Monday, October 28) heard that at 11.10am on the morning of his death a prison officer opened his cell door when his cellmate said Hadwin had been in the toilet area for about 30 minutes.

The prison officer found him to be unresponsive.

Cheryl Pickles and Andrew Hadwin. (Image: FACEBOOK)

An ambulance was called and paramedics arrived but he was pronounced dead just after midday, at 12.01pm.

Police attended and ruled out any suspicious circumstances.

A post-mortem examination by Dr Hoggard noted his medical cause of death as diabetic ketoacidosis, the court heard, a condition which occurs because of a shortage of insulin.

Hadwin was being held at HMP Durham awaiting sentence.

The jury was told he had previously suggested he would stop taking his insulin as a form of self-harm. Giving an overview of the case Senior Assistant Coroner Crispin Oliver said: “Whilst on the way to prison as a remand prisoner he told GeoAmey staff (the company who provide prison transport) that he was a risk of suicide or self-harm and stated he wasn’t going to take his insulin.”

The inquest, which is due to last seven days, will look into whether his death was self-inflicted, and if it could have been prevented.

An inquest is taking place before an 11-man jury at Crook Coroners' Court.

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Hadwin was kept on the Vulnerable Prisoner Unit at HMP Durham after being remanded on January 17 and was under hourly observations, the jury was told.

He suffered with type one diabetes, used a walking stick and wheelchair over long distances and was generally “not a well man”, the court heard, and spent two stints at University Hospital North Durham between January 18 and 23, and again on January 25, 2023, during his time in custody.

His partner Cheryl Pickles watched proceedings at the Coroners’ Court via video link from prison, flanked by a chaplain.

The inquest continues.