• 6 years ago
• Posted in:Charged, Murder/ Manslaughter, Violent Offences
• 0
• Author: melodie
• Tags: Aged 20-29, Ashworth Hospital, Extreme violence, HCP victim, HMP Woodhill, Liam Suleman, Lucy Edwards, Male prison, Mental health, Misgendering, Post-transition, Prison transition, Psychiatric hospital, Psychosis, Rainbow hair, St Andrew's Healthcare, Suicide attempt, Trans woman, Victim sex unknown

Liam Suleman / Lucy Edwards, a male who identifies as a trans woman, was remanded into custody in 2018 to await trial for the attempted murder of a member of staff at Ashworth Hospital (one of three hospitals in the UK, alongside Broadmoor and Rampton, which treats patients with psychiatric health needs that require treatment in conditions of high security).

The Milton Keynes Citizen reported in May 2018 that within three days of being transferred to HMP Woodhill (a category A men’s prison), Suleman, 20, jumped from a third floor balcony and sustained life-changing brain and spinal injuries. Suleman’s mother (and the article) refers to Liam as her son and with male pronouns throughout as she highlights that Liam has severe mental health issues including psychotic episodes and should have been on suicide watch.

A follow-up report two months later refers to Suleman as transgender and uses female pronouns throughout and reports that the prisoner “was in despair because other inmates refused to use the new name of Lucy”, according to Suleyman’s mother, Lianna Throup.

Despite such a history of psychosis and extreme violence, Ms Throup is campaigning for Suleman to be returned to a female prison instead of HMP Woodhill.

The Milton Keynes Citizen also reports that a report by former prisons and probation ombudsman Stephen Shaw in December 2017 said prisoners’ lives were at risk at Woodhill due to staff shortages. A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said: “A full investigation is underway following an incident at HMP Woodhill which resulted in a prisoner being taken to hospital to receive emergency treatment. Our thoughts are with the prisoner and their family at this difficult time.”

The official change of name deed poll, from Liam Anthony Suleman to Lucy Jane Edwards dated 20 January 2017 is here. The correspondence address is given as an inpatient forensic/secure psychiatric ward in Northampton.

Image via Milton Keynes Citizen

Media reports

Milton Keynes Citizen https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/transgender-suicide-jump-prisoner-was-in-despair-because-fellow-milton-keynes-inmates-refused-to-recognise-new-name-1-8576655 archive

Milton Keynes Citizen https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/milton-keynes-prisoner-critically-ill-after-suicide-jump-from-third-floor-cells-at-woodhill-jail-1-8510557 archive