A sex offender took his own life in his prison cell, only three weeks after he was sentenced. 

Glen Adrian, 27, was found dead in his cell at HMP Durham on March 8, 2023. He had been sentenced to a ten-month stint inside for breaching a sexual order on February 21.

He had previously displayed worrying tendencies to self-harm - such as banging his head against the inside of the escort van when being transported to prison. 

In the weeks before his death, nurses noted his history of ill mental health, but mistakes on his medical records made them believe Adrian was already being seen by suicide and self-harm specialists. 

Adrian, originally from Cumbria, whose past offences include rape, secretly downloaded dating apps on his phone and then deleted them.

This put him in breach of a strict sexual harm prevention order, Carlisle Crown Court heard in February 2023.

The order had been imposed by a judge after Adrian was convicted of raping a female and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Adrian was the seventh prisoner to take his life at HMP Durham in three years and the fourth in four months.

Adrian appeared in court by video link and was sentenced to ten months imprisonment. An officer spoke to him and did not have any concerns about his wellbeing. He informed the healthcare department that Adrian had appeared in court, so a healthcare assistant also spoke to the prisoner and also had no concerns.

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But at around 5.30 am on March 8, during a routine check, an officer found Adrian hanging.

He called an emergency on his radio and, when other staff arrived, they entered the cell and lowered Adrian to the floor. Adrian was clearly dead, so the staff did not attempt resuscitation. 

HMP Durham is a local prison, serving the courts of Tyneside, Durham, and Cumbria. It has a maximum capacity of 985 men. Spectrum Community Health CIC provides primary healthcare services and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys Foundation NHS Trust provides mental health services.

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