Open verdict on Portland prison death (From Dorset Echo)
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Open verdict on Portland prison death
3:30pm Monday 13th February 2012 in News
A JURY has returned an open verdict at the inquest of a man who died while serving a sentence at the Verne prison on Portland.
An inquiry was launched after Michael John Norris, originally from Hackney, London, was found in a stairwell on Wing A1 on July 4, 2010 and 6.10am.
The inquest heard that the 50-year-old former shop worker died at Dorset County Hospital after being taken there by paramedics. Doctor Mark Deverell, a pathologist at Dorset County Hospital, examined Mr Norris and found fractures to the ribs, pelvis and skull.
He said: “Death had been the result of multiple injuries and I would suggest that it was a result of blunt trauma.”
The inquest heard that there was no evidence to say exactly when the incident had happened or what had happened as there were no witnesses.
Senior investigator for Dorset Police DCI Fiona Grant concluded in her report that Mr Norris was more likely to have gone over the banister than fallen down the stairs. She added it was probable his feet, which had flip-flops on, hit the banister of the first floor leaving a mark before he landed on the tiled floor.
The report also concluded there was no sign of a scuffle and no third party was involved.
