Second inquest due into death of Adam, 14

In 2004, Adam Rickwood, 14, became the youngest person to die in a British penal institution in modern times.

Adam, from Burnley, Lancashire, was found in his room at Hassockfield Secure Training Centre, in County Durham, only hours after he had been physically restrained by a member of staff.

He had been on remand for more than a month at the unit, at Medomsley, near Consett, up to 150 miles from his family.

In the days before his hanging, he had written letters to relatives and rung his mother, saying how unhappy he was at Hassockfield and threatening to kill himself.

An inquest three years ago found he deliberately took his life.

However, that verdict was overturned by the High Court in January 2009, and a fresh inquest ordered.

Adam’s family won a legal battle to prevent the original coroner, Andrew Tweddle, from presiding over the second hearing.

In his place, coroner Jeremy Freedman will oversee the three-week hearing, at Durham County Council’s offices in Easington.

Adam’s mother, Carol Pounder, is due to give evidence at the opening sessions, today.

Among issues, the hearing will consider how restraint is used against children, the impact it had on Adam, whether it contributed to his death and the supervision of children in the criminal justice system.

The pressure group Inquest, whose lawyers represent Adam’s family, said: “The case re-ignites concerns over the treatment of children by the criminal justice system.

“Adam’s death and the issue of both when force can be used and the deliberate use of painful force by staff against children has attracted substantial parliamentary and public disquiet, and has led calls for a radical overhaul of the way the state treats children in conflict with the law.”

Adam’s death was one of 29 of children in penal custody in England and Wales since 1990.

The pressure group believes there ought to be a public inquiry into the treatment of children in the criminal justice system.