Prison in the clear over inmate's overdose death

Published on Thursday 10 December 2009 08:38

EDINBURGH'S Saughton Prison has been cleared by a sheriff in the wake of the overdose of a prisoner held on remand for murder.

Thomas Tant was found dead in his cell at the Edinburgh jail after overdosing on medication apparently prescribed to a prisoner in the neighbouring cell.

During a four-day fatal accident inquiry, prosecutors said new controls should be introduced to limit the amount of medication given to individual prisoners.

The recommendation followed recent research in English and Welsh jails which highlighted fears among prison staff that "in-possession" medication could be "traded or used to self-harm".

The father of the deceased, Thomas Tant senior, had also raised concerns that inmates were able to stockpile medication.

But Sheriff Neil MacKinnon yesterday ruled that the existing drug policy did not need a revamp.

Tant was remanded in custody in October 2007, after the murder of 32-year-old Richard Buckley in East Calder, West Lothian.

Put on a methadone programme after being jailed, Tant, who previously lived in Sighthill Bank, was also prescribed diazepam and the anti-psychotic medication, olanzapine.

Following concerns raised by his father, Tant was assessed as being at risk from self-harm or suicide and moved to a new hall.

The adjacent cell was occupied by James McDonald, who had an "in-possession" supply of the painkiller Nefopam, which was prescribed monthly.

Wardens found Tant's body on the morning of 27 February last year and toxicology tests established that he had Nefopam in his system "25 times higher than the highest concentration found following normal medical use".

The serial number of a Nefopam packet found in Tant's cell matched McDonald's prescription, although he denied giving it to the dead man.

The inquiry heard from a procurator fiscal depute who recommended that the "toxicity" of medication should now be assessed when dispensing to an inmate amid fears that it could be traded or used in overdoses.

However, Sheriff MacKinnon said he was satisfied that appropriate safeguards were already in place, such as refusing "in- possession" medication to inmates "susceptible to bullying and manipulation".

Spot checks of cells are also carried out in a bid to prevent prisoners from stockpiling medication to dangerous levels and prisoners deemed a suicide risk were not given prescriptions for such medicines.

Dr George Gracie, the medical officer at the prison, told the inquiry that the existing policy "worked very well" and that focusing on toxicity levels would present "difficulties" as "just about any drug is dangerous at high levels".

A Scottish Prison Service spokeswoman said "Although we cannot comment on individual cases, we study the findings for every fatal accident inquiry for lessons to be learned."

Mr Tant's family could not be contacted for comment.