Family’s desperate plea for answers over prison death
THE family of an inmate who died at Parc prison claim they have received almost no information more than three weeks later.
Jason Hussey, a 30-year-old dadof-two, is one of the six prisoners to have died suddenly at Bridgend’s HMP Parc since February 27.
Authorities have said four of the prisoners’ deaths are believed to be drug-related and two are nonsuspicious. But the family of Mr Hussey, who died on February 27, said they have not been told which category his death is in.
His sister Jessica and brother Damien said there has been a “shocking” lack of communication from the privately-run prison. Jessica questioned why they had to find out from our website, WalesOnline, that some of the recent deaths were being linked to the psychoactive drug spice and super-strength synthetic opioids called nitazenes.
Jessica, a 27-year-old school worker, said: “He was due out on April 1 and he was so excited to be coming out. He was going to the gym, he was working as a cleaner in the wing, and he was doing well.
“The night he died he called our dad and said, ‘I love you Dad, I can’t wait for all of us to be together.’
That was at 8.30pm and apparently he was dead by 10pm.
“I can’t get my head around it. “Jason was a strong boy. I never had any worries for him being in jail, I knew he was safe, but as soon as he was moved from HMP Swansea to Parc something crept over my body. I don’t know what it was.”
Jessica said Mr Hussey, who was raised in London but lived in Swansea as an adult, had raised concerns over the conditions of the prison. “He’d say, ‘Baby sis, it’s a state in here.’ He wouldn’t go into detail because he didn’t want to worry us.”
In December, Mr Hussey was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to an offence of disclosing or threatening to disclose private sexual photographs.
Jessica said he had been “in and out of jail” for some time and had struggled with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) but had appeared to be turning his life around.
Jessica claims the family have had almost no detail from G4S on the circumstances of Mr Hussey’s death, beyond the fact that it is “under investigation”. She claims the prison’s family liaison officer has been dismissive of the family’s pleas for information and “shown no compassion”.
The family are fundraising to help cover the funeral costs. Mr Hussey’s mother Jackie wrote on the Gofundme page (gofundme.com/f/ jason-angel-send-off): “My son deserves at least the best send off and I’m personally using all my savings to do what I can so any help will help give my baby boy the better send off he deserves. If it’s £1 or £10 it means as a mother I can lay my boy to rest knowing he had the best!
“You should never have to hold a funeral for your kids so please help me give him the one he deserves.”
A G4S spokeswoman said: “Mr Hussey’s next of kin were informed at the time of his death and a family liaison officer has been appointed to support them at this very difficult time.”