A woman who drove 60 miles to HMP Wormwood Scrubs in a desperate bid to save her suicidal husband was unable to alert staff in time due to a broken intercom and phone line, a coroner has ruled.
Failed Communication Led to Tragic Death
Isaiah Adekunle Olugosi was found hanged in his cell overnight between March 27 and 28, 2022. A jury ruled his death as suicide.
According to a prevention of future deaths report, Olugosi’s wife had spoken to him at 9pm on March 27 and believed he was at risk of taking his own life.
However, repeated attempts by Cambridgeshire Police, the Metropolitan Police, and Olugosi’s wife to call the prison were unsuccessful. Calls were being diverted to an unmanned or obsolete number, leaving them unable to warn prison staff.
Desperate Drive to Wormwood Scrubs
Unable to reach anyone by phone, Olugosi’s wife drove two hours from Cambridge to Wormwood Scrubs, arriving at the main gate, where she banged on the door, called out, and pressed a buzzer—which was supposed to connect her to an intercom system inside the prison.
However, the intercom was out of action and had been for several years, according to Assistant Coroner for West London Richard Furniss.
As a result, she and the police were unable to alert prison staff all night, and Olugosi took his own life before help could reach him.
Coroner Issues Urgent Warning
In his report, Mr. Furniss ruled that future deaths could occur unless action is taken by Wormwood Scrubs Governor Amy Frost.
“The buzzer/intercom system must have been provided because it was thought important to provide that additional means of communication between the prison and the outside world,” he stated.
“In this case, a working system would have enabled the deceased’s wife to warn the prison of his impending suicide.”
Mr. Furniss described it as “difficult to understand” why the intercom had been left broken for years. He noted that the prison’s proposed solution was either to leave it non-functional or remove it altogether, which he described as “a failure”.
The governor of Wormwood Scrubs must now respond by April 21, 2025, detailing actions taken or proposed measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Ministry of Justice Response Pending
The Ministry of Justice has yet to comment on the report. Meanwhile, concerns about prison safety, staff shortages, and mental health support for inmates continue to mount.
