Drug was taken by kidnap-case inmate who died
A KIDNAPPER was found dead on his prison cell floor after taking the synthetic cannabinoid Spice, an inquest heard.
Daley Thomas was found by prison staff at HMP Dovegate in Marchington, near Uttoxeter, on July 20, last year.
The 27-year-old was serving an 11-and-a-half-year sentence after admitting charges of kidnap, blackmail, supplying a class A drug (cocaine) and production of cannabis.
Thomas was 25 at the time he was jailed in 2018. He was part of a trio who kidnapped a 25-year-old man from a property in Bath on June 13, 2017, over an unpaid drugs debt, forcing him into the boot of a car and driving the terrified man around the city.
His inquest is taking place in front of a jury made up of 10 people who will hear how he died and record a verdict after hearing all the evidence. The hearing is being conducted by South Staffordshire Coroner Andrew Haigh. It started on Tuesday and is scheduled to end tomorrow.
Mr Haigh told the jury Thomas was a known drug user and was known to have used drugs while inside Dovegate Prison, which is a men’s jail.
Mr Haigh said: “On the evening of July 19 he was locked in his cell and a number of routine checks were carried out during the night and the morning.
“However, at 9.20am his cell door is open and he is found dead in his cell.
“A post-mortem examination revealed illicit drug – synthetic cannabinoid known as ‘Spice.’”
The jury heard that in November 2019, Thomas was transferred to Dovegate from Bristol.
On December 16, 2019, he required medical help after he fell and hit his head while under the influence of drugs in the prison.
Between January and May 2020, he was found with drugs numerous times.
Mr Haigh said: “He was known in the drug culture in the prison.”
On June 3, 2020, he spoke to the medical team at the prison saying he had been having “silly thoughts” but said he had no intention of acting on that.
Mr Haigh said: “He was to be referred to the mental team but due to an administration error the referral was not made.”
On June 4, he was seen by prison staff and told them he had drug debts and was unable to pay them. He also said he had weapons and said he would hurt someone if he was not transferred to another wing.
On June 16 he spoke on the phone to a prison doctor at his request because he wanted to hurt someone and believed this was due to the stress of lockdown.
On July 19, checks were conducted by prison staff at 4.59pm, 8.03pm and at 5.07am.
There was a welfare check on his cell at 7.35am and he was seen lying face down on the floor but the staff member believed he was breathing as she could see his chest moving. She believed he was sleeping, the jury was told.
At 9.20am his cell door was opened and he was found. CPR was carried out but this was stopped at 9.30am.
A post-mortem examination later took place which found an injury to his lip due to falling but found there was no evidence of third party involvement.
A toxicology test found Spice in his system.
The inquest continues.