Inquest into the death of Azroy Dawes-Clarke

Ian Denham represented South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust in the inquest into the death of Azroy Dawes-Clarke.

Azroy was a serving prisoner at HMP Elmley at the time of his death on 10 November 2021. He died after tying a ligature around his neck and subsequently being restrained by prison officers.

The Interested Persons in the inquest included mental health staff employed by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, healthcare staff employed by an independent agency, GPs, paramedics and prison staff.

The article 2 inquest, which covered 18 days, examined issues surrounding the management of self-harm within the prison, inter-agency care of a patient in crisis and whether the use of force by prison officers was causative of Azroy’s death.

At the conclusion of the Inquest the jury gave a narrative conclusion. HM Coroner elected to write three Prevention of Future Death Reports in respect of a number of Interested Persons.

The case has attracted significant press interest.

Ian was instructed by Daniel Freeman and Amber Banerjee at Kennedys.

Find out more

Ian Denham regularly attends Coronial Inquests, acting broadly equally for families and NHS Trusts and has considerable experience acting in high profile proceedings and those where article 2 is engaged.

To find out more about Ian, contact Paul Barton on +44 (0)20 7427 4907 for a confidential discussion.

News 6 Aug, 2025