Indigenous man’s death in the Darwin Correctional Centre is under coronial investigation

The coroner will investigate how a 37-year-old Indigenous man came to die while locked up in Holtze prison.

Emergency service vehicles arrive at Darwin Correctional Precinct. Picture: Che Chorley

A man’s death in custody while in Darwin Correctional Centre will be at the centre of an upcoming coronial inquest.

The coroner’s office has confirmed a 37-year-old Indigenous man was taken from the Holtze prison to Royal Darwin Hospital and passed away on October 22, 2022.

The NT News has chosen not to name the man for cultural reasons, but understands the death in custody was believed to be a medical incident.

The coroner will investigate the 37-year-old’s death, particularly his care, supervision and treatment while at Holtze.

A coronial directions hearing will be heard on January 16.

The Darwin Correctional Precinct, in Hotlze. Picture: Che Chorley

A public notification of the October death in custody was never released.

While all deaths in custody are investigated by the coroner, there are no requirements to notify the public when they occur in Territory prisons.

The NT Attorney-General’s office said in the event of a death in custody police were immediately notified, then the Coroner and the next of kin were contacted.

The spokeswoman said there was no obligation for NT Corrections to publicly report non-suspicious medical deaths.

A NT Police spokesman also said medical deaths in police custody were not typically publicly reported, but a notification would be issued for assault, self-harm or other suspicious deaths.

The NT News understands this is the second death in custody in 13 months.

The latest Attorney-General’s annual report said there was one death in custody in 2021-22, with the cause of death for Bernard Hector still to be determined.

It has been alleged the 31-year-old Indigenous man was placed at risk for self-harm but that assessment was lifted before he took his own life on August 30, 2021 while in Holtze.

The inquest into the death was meant to start on July 26 2022 but was delayed after the NT government bungled its response.

Coroner Elisabeth Armitage called off the hearing because institutional responses were only sent the day before the three day inquest was due to begin.

The hearing was adjourned to January 17 2023.

The Holtze Correctional Centre just outside of Darwin.

The coroner’s office said the hearing would primarily investigate his journey through the criminal justice system, while at corrections and his access to medical and mental health assistance at a time when Covid restrictions were in place.

All deaths in custody are reported to the Australian Institute of Criminology, a monitoring body established following the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

However, public reporting requirements differ across Australia.

In Victoria and Queensland the public is notified of all deaths, including medical incidents, in both police and correctional custody.

TheAustralian Institute of Criminology said there were 84 deaths in prison custody and 22 in police and custody-related operations across Australia in 2021-22.

It said there were 24 Indigenous deaths, 81 non-Indigenous deaths and one where the Indigenous status of the deceased was unknown.

There have been 38 deaths in Territory corrections between 2007-08 and the latest financial year, according to AIC.

The Productivity Commission also found there were 24 deaths specifically in NT Police custody between 2007-08 and 2020-21.

Nationally there were 325 deaths in police custody, with the NT making up 7 per cent of all fatal incidents.

The NT News has received permission from the family to name Mr Hector.

The Suicide Call Back service is on 1300 659 467 and Lifeline is on 13 11 14.

Originally published as Indigenous man’s death in the Darwin Correctional Centre is under coronial investigation