Allison Munroe KC of the Garden Court Inquests and Inquiries Team represents Trevor's family.
Allison is instructed by INQUEST Lawyers Group members Paul Ham and Constance Collard of Birnberg Peirce. They are supported by INQUEST Senior Caseworker Jodie Anderson.
Trevor Monerville, a 33 year old Black man, was found unresponsive following an epileptic seizure in his cell at HMP Lewes on 18 April 2021. Now an inquest will look at the circumstances of his death and the care he received in prison.
The inquest, scheduled to last six days, opens on Monday 18 September 2023 and will take place before Assistant Coroner Rachel Redman at Hastings Coroners Court.
Trevor’s death is one of 20 deaths at the prison in the past five years.
Trevor was from Hackney but spent his teens living in Haringey. Trevor was naturally gifted with his hands: being able to assemble any form of furniture without taking a glimpse at the instructions. He could complete an electrical circuit, fix any car problem and even repair phones and computers. Trevor’s other interests included: creating art and poetry, cooking Jerk chicken, baking, tattoos, plumbing and electrics.
Trevor had a long history of mental ill health. As a result of his epilepsy, he had frequent seizures for which he was taking daily medication.
On 30 November 2020, Trevor was sent to HMP Lewes on remand. Upon arrival, he told the reception nurse that he had had ten epileptic seizures within the last 48 hours.
Four days later, Trevor was moved to the prison health care wing after prison staff found him lying on his floor and not speaking. The next day, a nurse put in place a safety plan for prisoners at risk of suicide or self-harm (known as an ACCT) due to Trevor’s low mood.
Over the next two weeks, Trevor had to be taken to hospital three times as a result of severe seizures. He was discharged back to prison after a short stay each time.
On 16 January 2021, Trevor was moved back from healthcare to a standard prison wing. He was moved into a single cell.
On 18 April, prison staff did not carry out a morning roll check as they were supposed to. At 9.47am, a prison officer found Trevor unresponsive in his cell. Emergency services were called and paramedics arrived shortly after.
Trevor was pronounced dead later that morning.
It is expected that the inquest will now consider the adequacy of care Trevor received in prison and from healthcare services.
The family hope the inquest will address their concerns about the care that Trevor received prior to his death and whether his death could have been prevented.
The above content has been reproduced from an INQUEST press release.
NOTES TO EDITORS
For further information, please contact Leila Hagmann at leilahagmann@inquest.org.uk
Other Interested Persons represented at the inquest are HMP Lewes, Practice Plus Group (PPG), University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.
