Shoplifting mum found dead days after being jailed

Inquest hears how failure to provide care' directly contributed to death

- PATRICK EDRICH & ASHLIE BLAKEY

A MUM jailed for shoplifting shampoo and cheese took her own life days later after her cries for help were ignored by prison staff, an inquest found.

Christine McDonald was locked up at HMP Styal in Cheshire on March 1, 2019. She was jailed for two offences of shoplifting small value items of shampoo, bubble bath, hair dye and cheese and one offence of failure to comply with a community requirement of a suspended sentence.

The next day, she was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital following concerns raised during a healthcare assessment in the prison. She was sent back to the jail later that day and at around 11pm that evening, two prison officers found Christine with selfinflicted injuries in her cell.

She was aged just 55 when she died the following day on March 3. An inquest at Cheshire Coroners' Court concluded earlier this month that neglect contributed to Christine taking her own life, with a jury finding staff had not followed appropriate healthcare guidelines.

The inquest, which ended on May 10, heard how Christine was sent to HMP Styal for a 12-week sentence.