Private prison prosecuted over inmate's Covid death
The case, which alleges negligence by HMP Addiewell in West Lothian in its treatment of Calum Inglis, 34, will be the first criminal prosecution of a private prison in Scotland.
Inglis, 34, died alone in his cell in HMP Addiewell, West Lothian, 12 days after being diagnosed with the virus in October 2021.
It is alleged that Inglis, who was asthmatic and unvaccinated, was complaining of being short of breath and coughing up blood and that during his last four days of life, he repeatedly requested medical attention via his cell intercom, but nobody came.
He was serving a sentence for serious assault.
After a meeting on Wednesday with Inglis's family in Edinburgh, Dorothy Bain KC, the Lord Advocate, said she was 'committed to ensuring that the facts and circumstances surrounding Calum's death are thoroughly investigated by the relevant agencies'.
Aamer Anwar, the family's solicitor, described the proceedings against HMP Addiewell, which is run by Sodexo Justice Services under contract to the Scottish Prison Service, as 'historic'.
He called on Scottish ministers to remove HMP Addiewell from private ownership, adding that it was untenable for a prison 'to be run for profit'.
Mr Anwar said Inglis suffered an 'agonising' death on Oct 24 2021. He added that the prosecution will be the first of a private prison in Scotland, and one of the first relating to 6,000 Covid deaths reported to the Crown Office, including 15 prison deaths.
'The family are grateful to the Lord Advocate for giving them hope of justice,' said Mr Anwar.
'Today she told them that she has instructed a criminal prosecution of Addiewell prison, run by Sodexo Ltd, and Lothian Health Board for their alleged failures to properly manage the medical care of Calum Inglis.
'Calum was a much-loved son and brother. His family hope that their love for him, the relentless campaign they have fought for him, will leave a lasting legacy.'
Inglis's family has spent three-and-a-half years campaigning for an investigation into his death and participated in both the UK Covid-19 Inquiry and the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry.
His father, Alan, said: 'It has taken three-and-a-half years to be here. After the meeting with the Lord Advocate, it is apparent that the investigation was very thorough.
'It's a reflection of that, they have all the information they need to go forward. For that we are grateful.'
He said participating in the inquiries had opened up 'a roller-coaster of emotions' and served as a reminder of 'Calum's circumstances and the way he died'.
Frances Marr, Inglis's sister, said: 'It is the best news we could have hoped for.'
Ms Bain said: 'I understand the tragic loss felt by Calum's family and their wish to know what happened to him, and would like to thank them for meeting with me today to talk about the progress of the investigation.
'I am committed to ensuring that the facts and circumstances surrounding Calum's death are thoroughly investigated by the relevant agencies, fully considered by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, and aired in the appropriate legal forum.
'The family and their legal representative will continue to be kept updated in accordance with their wishes.'
A spokesman at HMP Addiewell said: 'We understand that this continues to be a very difficult time for Mr Inglis's family and our thoughts and condolences remain with them.
'It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage, but I can confirm that we are continuing to work with all relevant authorities in advance of any future fatal accident inquiry.'
A Scottish Prison Service spokesman said: 'Our thoughts continue to be with the family and loved ones of Mr Inglis. The Scottish Prison Service is fully committed to working with the Scottish Covid Inquiry and supporting its important work.'
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Nursing home operator Genesis Healthcare files for bankruptcy
This story was originally published on Healthcare Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Healthcare Dive newsletter. Genesis Healthcare, one of the largest providers of skilled nursing facilities in the country, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protections on Wednesday. Pennsylvania-based Genesis, which operated about 175 skilled nursing facilities across 18 states at its filing, said it struggled with post-pandemic challenges, legacy liabilities and inadequate Medicaid reimbursement. Staff will retain their positions and the filing is not expected to impact patient care, a Genesis spokesperson told Healthcare Dive. Affiliates of Genesis' investor ReGen Healthcare, a private equity firm, have entered into a deal to acquire Genesis, according to bankruptcy court documents filed Thursday. ReGen's deal to acquire Genesis is a 'stalking horse bid,' which sets the floor price to buy Genesis in the event of an auction. The private equity firm has invested in Genesis before, when it was on the verge of filing for bankruptcy for the second time in 2021, according to court documents. The operator had filed for Chapter 11 before in 2000 and emerged from restructuring in 2001. ReGen's initial $50 million investment in 2021, paired with a lease restructuring agreement with Genesis' largest landlord, allowed the operator to 'narrowly' avoid a bankruptcy filing, according to court documents. The private equity firm continued to invest in Genesis, and its investment totaled about $100 million. However, liabilities related to past expansions, 'years of financial stress and deferred capital expenditures,' pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic and inadequate Medicaid reimbursement prompted Genesis to file for Chapter 11 protections again on Wednesday. 'All told, while ReGen's cumulative investment of approximately $100 million (over approximately two years) allowed the Company to avoid bankruptcy and provided a liquidity runway to a business struggling with legacy liabilities and other business challenges, it was unfortunately insufficient to allow the Company to fully transform its business model and achieve long-term viability,' Louis Robichaux IV, co-chief restructuring officer, wrote in court documents Thursday. In initial filings, Genesis said it has up to 25,000 creditors, with liabilities between $1 billion to $10 billion. Genesis has faced other financial challenges in the past, including a nearly $54 million fine in 2017 from the government to settle allegations it violated the False Claims Act for submitting 'medically unnecessary therapy and hospice services, and grossly substandard nursing care.' Genesis joins a growing number of notable bankruptcies this year. In January, health system Prospect Medical Holdings filed for Chapter 11 protections. Last year, both medical center operator CareMax and hospital operator Steward Health Care filed for bankruptcy. Although healthcare bankruptcies declined in 2024, the sector still notched the second-highest number of filings in the past six years. Recommended Reading Healthcare bankruptcies declined in 2024: report
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
COVID cases likely rising in half of states, CDC estimates
Cases of COVID-19 are now likely growing in 25 states, according to estimates published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday, as this year's summer wave of the virus appears to be getting underway. The agency's modeling suggests that the uptick is in "many" Southeast, Southern and West Coast states, the CDC said in its weekly update. COVID-19 activity nationwide, however, is still considered "low," based on data from wastewater samples, although that is up from "very low" the week before. Some of the highest rates of COVID-19 in emergency rooms are in the Pacific Northwest, which saw a steep rise in ER visits during June, and in the Southeast, which has seen rates steadily inch up for weeks. Rates are now the highest they've been since February and March in those regions. Health officials have been watching for an increase in COVID-19 this summer, as new variants have spread to the U.S. after fueling surges overseas. A CDC analysis published Thursday concluded that the virus has settled into twice-a-year surges nationwide, typically peaking first in July through September and then a second time later in December through February. Those surges look to be linked to cycles of genetic changes to a part of the virus that scientists call the S1 region, a key part of the spike protein of the virus that binds to human cells. "Our analysis revealed biannual COVID-19 peaks in late summer and winter, a pattern that is expected to persist as long as the rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and cyclical S1 diversity continues," the scientists wrote in the CDC analysis. COVID-19's rise comes as health officials have been probing reports of an unusual uptick in another respiratory virus called parvovirus B19. While many people develop no symptoms from parvovirus B19 infections, some people get sick with signs like fever and muscle pains, followed by a rash. The CDC warned late last month of a "sustained increase" in transmission of parvovirus B19, and suggested that pregnant women consider masking to curb the risk of severe complications. Some local health departments have also tracked a rise in emergency rooms treating cases of this virus. "Several of the most recent weeks saw the highest percentage of B19-associated ED visits compared to the same week in all years since 2015," health officials in Chicago warned on Thursday. Udemy Is Powering Enterprise AI Transformation Through Skills World awaits potential Israel-Hamas ceasefire as Netanyahu returns from Trump meetings How Thomas Crooks prepared before the Trump assassination attempt
Boston Globe
11 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Readers write in about trust in medical providers, a Melrose family's WWII sacrifice, and more
A Turn for the Worse As an older white woman with complex medical issues, I never take for granted that I have a trustworthy medical team, nor do I forgive the few doctors who are dismissive ( Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Katie Olmstead, Florence, Massachusetts Advertisement Trust in public health and health providers has been declining for many years and the way COVID was handled didn't help one bit. Time4achangeMA, posted on It's a two-way street: You need to advocate for yourself and engage with the doctor. They can't tell you what your symptoms are or what you have going on if you don't ask questions and explain how you feel. ts2115, posted on Advertisement A major reason for distrust of any docs is knowing that they are obeying rules set by the administrators of whatever group they're in, and by the insurance. That, and not what is best for your health, may determine the care you get — time spent, procedures ordered, etc. beaconhillr, posted on I have always tried to respect the views of my patients, while also providing them explanations of my opinion, indicating that it is ultimately their choice how to proceed with their care. Many of them are well informed, many more are willing to engage in honest discussion, and sometimes we agree to disagree. But the level of medical crazy out there these days is getting worse and worse and, at some point, you cannot just sit back and pretend that all the ideas out there are equally valid. There is also a need to consider the context. If you want to eat a special supplement you heard about on TikTok, it probably isn't going to hurt you. But when you refuse to address your cancer because the supplement is going to cure you, it's a very different matter. PCMD, posted on I've been observing changes in my PCP's practice for well over 35 years now; from a small, local practice to being bought up several times and now part of a big corporate conglomerate. I see the PCP now only if I'm lucky, for about 15 minutes a year; otherwise, for illness, advice, accidents, I'm shuffled off to ER, to a NP, to an urgent care center. I can see that the PCP is run ragged, has wayyyyyy too many patients, and no longer enjoys practicing medicine. . . . I don't feel any connection to the doc at all any more, let alone trust. Advertisement cryan738, posted on Cooked I like Christopher Kimball — his prior work was so inspiring, the shows interesting, etc. The Globe Magazine has his recipes, which are interesting for sure, but way too complicated and long for the vast majority of readers to bother making ( Maria Furman, Hingham For the Love of Country What a profoundly moving story ( Rochelle Kanell, Beacon Falls, Connecticut I have a friend, Albert Consigli, who was in WWII when he was about 20. He was made a tank driver because he grew up in Milford and he was handy with a hunting rifle in the country. So, as he told me, the Army gave him a tank because they thought it as just a bigger gun. Al had eight brothers; seven Consigli bothers total fought in the war, and all came back home. Al is 101 years old. He lives alone in a house in Upton, still drives his own pickup, and goes to lunch with his friends at the local McDonald's whenever he can. His favorite thing to do is to speak to high school students about his war experiences, with pictures and all. Advertisement Joseph P. Roman, Melrose My father's six brothers also served in WWII out of Brooklyn, and people would come to my father's house (he was too young to serve — 16 in 1945) to see the six blue stars on the front window. Happily all six came back OK, though two were on a destroyer in the North Atlantic (U.S.S. Boire) that sunk after a battle with a German U-boat and miraculously survived the cold waters. The article is a great tribute to the greatest generation! Ray Fitzgerald, West Roxbury This brought back memories of World War II from when I was a little girl, such as the air raids and marching up and down the street banging pots and pans when the war ended. I have put out our flags in our window box on Main Street and will certainly be thinking and saying a prayer for Emma and her sons. Carolann Courtney, Melrose For those of us who had parents who served in World War II, this brings back memories of the things they said, and the things that remained unsaid. Simple men from simple circumstances were sent around the world to fight in a war that changed their lives and the lives of millions of others, forever. I grew up in Melrose not far from where the Bushee home was. I feel a kinship from that vague connection. Advertisement Mike Krone, Millis I still have the banner with five stars on it that my grandparents displayed in their front window in Stow during the war. My father and his four older brothers were proud of their service, although none of them spoke much about it when their kids were growing up. It was a very different time in this country. I shudder to think what my father would say if he could see the state of the country now. Suzanne Robblee, Malden CONTACT US: Write to magazine@ or The Boston Globe Magazine/Comments, 1 Exchange Place, Suite 201, Boston, MA 02109-2132. Comments are subject to editing.
