Terence Papworth: Suicide verdict recorded over death of Doncaster man as he awaited murder trial

Yesterday, an inquest jury at Wakefield Coroner's Court concluded that Terence Papworth's death in HMP Leeds was suicide.

The jury found that Papworth received "satisfactory care" from HMP Leeds and Practice Plus Group (PPG), the healthcare provider for the prison.

The inquest heard that while on remand after being charged with the murder of his former partner Papworth repeatedly told his family he wanted to take his own life.

Papworth was an inmate at HMP Leeds, also known as HMP Armley, waiting to stand trial for the murder of Amy-Leanne Stringfellow when he was found hanged in his cell on the morning of November 22, 2020. A provisional date for Papworth’s trial had been set for eight days after his death, on November 30, 2020.

During the first day of Papworth’s jury inquest at Wakefield Coroners’ Court on June 14, Detective Constable, John Beaumont, who was sent to the prison following Papworth’s death, gave evidence.

He confirmed police had determined there was ‘no third party or criminal act that had caused his death’.

Papworth’s sister, Jacqueline Dunn, told jurors that during conversations with her and their mother, Sandra Papworth, during his 23-week stint at the prison he had spoken of wanting to take his own life on ‘several occasions’.

When Senior Coroner, Kevin McLoughlin, asked Ms Dunn about what indication Papworth had given about wanting to kill himself, she did not describe his exact wording, but added: “He told us what he wanted at his funeral.”

The jury was told how Papworth had made at least three previous attempts to take his own life during his time on remand, on June 9, July 15 and November 5, by taking overdoses of painkillers and anti-depressants.

Ms Stringfellow, a former soldier who served in Afghanistan, was killed at the home of Papworth, with whom she had been in a relationship, on June 5, 2020.

Her inquest, which was held last March at Doncaster Coroners’ Court, heard how Papworth was on bail at the time of the fatal attack after being charged with assaulting her on an earlier occasion.

Assistant coroner Louise Slater recorded a conclusion of unlawful killing.