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Agony of mum over cell death
Dark matters’ claim as coroner blocks questioning
THE grieving mother of a drug addict found dead in a Holborn police cell has made an emotional trip from Italy to find out the circumstances of his tragic death.
Dominica Tramantano told a coroner’s inquest this week that she was on a mission to uncover the “dark matters” behind the death of her son, Enzo Stompanato.
She said she wanted to know why officers at Holborn police station in Lamb’s Conduit Street could not save her son in the final hour of his life.
But Mrs Tramantano’s attempts to question a series of witnesses, including senior police officers, have been ruled to be not relevant at the hearing.
St Pancras coroner Dr Andrew Reid has repeatedly told her that the inquest is “fact-finding” and not about “criminal or civil liability”.
He said: “This is not a court of blame.”
At one point yesterday (Wednesday) – the third day of evidence – Dr Reid said she had to restrict her comments in court to questions, adding: “I will not take speeches or statements from any interested parties.”
Mrs Tramantano responded by raising open palms in the air in a defensive gesture and saying: “Mi scusi, mi scusi (I’m sorry, I’m sorry).” Mr Stompanato, 47, originally from Naples, died in December 2002 from a heroin overdose.
Living rough on the streets and dreaming of a return to Italy for a family Christmas despite apparently having lost contact with relatives, he had taken drugs with a friend in a phone box in Euston Road, Euston.
He was later seen “dancing in the middle of Euston Road with a needle hanging out of his arm”, according to one police officer. Police said they arrested him for his own safety, but an hour and a half later Mr Stompanato was dead.
The inquest has been delayed while prosecutors first brought criminal charges against two officers involved and then withdrew them. Police Sergeant Matthew Walters and Police Constable Jefferson have since been cleared of any wrong-doing, paving the way for the inquest to be resumed.
Key points at the inquest include whether or not Mr Stompanato was checked in his cell properly at 15-minute intervals and whether a custody doctor was aware of the seriousness of his condition.
Outside court last night (Wednesday), with the inquest reaching its final stages, Mrs Tramantano told the New Journal: “I remember Enzo as a wonderful lad, handsome, well-behaved. He wouldn’t hurt a fly, he wasn’t capable.”
Mrs Tramantano, who is in her 70s, has flown from Milan for the hearing.
She told the inquest: “I’m here because I want to know the dark matters surrounding Enzo’s death. Those who didn’t do something to save him.
“Enzo’s death could be brought by the drugs but those that were close to him didn’t do anything. They abandoned him, they abandoned him, they abandoned him.”
It has clearly been an agonising week for Mr Stompanato’s mother, who has listened to the proceedings at the front of the court, accompanied by her second husband and a translator.
She left the hearing when a video of Mr Stompanato, locked in the police cell and appearing disorientated, was shown to the court. He had been plagued by a 10-year drug habit.
His homeless friend could not be traced to give evidence, although has reportedly been seen in Camden Town.
At one point during evidence on Tuesday, Mrs Tramantano said: “My head is not working. I can’t. I can’t.”
The court heard how officers at Holborn were worried by Mr Stompanato’s “erratic behaviour” and agreed to carry out 15-minute checks, which should have involved physical tests to ensure he wasn’t unconscious. They also called for a doctor.
But Sgt Walters and PC Jefferson, both new to their respective roles as custody officer and jailer, admitted the checks were not carried out as thoroughly as initially planned.
In his cell, Mr Stompanato’s behaviour remained “bizarre”, according to Sgt Walters, as he rolled on the floor, ran between cell walls and carried out stretches and exercises.
On the last physical check, PC Jefferson, finding him asleep on his back, rolled him over to the recovery position. Further checks were made through a cell window – known as a wicket – or over a CCTV monitor, rather than actually going into the cell.
Sgt Walters told the court: “You’re aware of what is going on in the custody suite. Quite naturally you’ve responsibility for everything that goes on. In my experience he didn’t have an overdose of heroin and that didn’t cross my mind one iota. All of my intention was to look after Mr Stompanato. We had his best interests at heart.”
PC Jefferson defended his decision not to wake Mr Stompanato during a later check through the window of the cell door.
He said: “My genuine belief at the time was that his interests would best be served by leaving him to sleep until the doctor came. I had no concerns about him medically. He was, to my mind, sleeping it off.”
Forensic doctor Michael O’Halloran arrived ten minutes later but visited a different prisoner first. It was only when he entered Mr Stompanato’s cell – more than half an hour after the last physical check by PC Jefferson – that his death was discovered.
Dr O’Halloran said: “No-one mentioned anything specific about Mr Stompanato to me. I was led to believe he was detained for being drunk and disorderly. In my opinion, Mr Stompanato was dead before I entered the cell.”
Dr John Henry, a Professor of Accident and Emergency Medicine, told the court: “If he had been taken to hospital at an earlier stage, for example, if he’d gone in the ambulance (at the time of his arrest in Euston Road), it’s very likely he would have been saved.”
The inquest resumes at St Pancras Coroner’s Court today (Thursday) when Dr Reid is due to sum up and a jury is due to reach a verdict.
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