WA coroner investigates prison death
A man who died in a West Australian prison complained of feeling depressed and having trouble sleeping in the lead up to his death, the Coroner's Court has heard.
Peter Phillip Humes, 38, died in his cell at Hakea Prison between 10.50pm and 4.50am on November 24, 2010.
The coroner is investigating if prison staff should have concluded that Humes was at risk of suicide after telling officers he was feeling depressed and unsettled during his admission and a medical assessment.
The inquest will also determine if the Department of Corrective Services did or failed to do anything that contributed to Humes's death.
In her opening address on Wednesday, counsel assisting the coroner Ilona Burra-Robinson said Humes was remanded at Hakea after being charged with assaulting and threatening his ex-partner, and breaching a violence restraining order related to his son.
During his admission to Hakea on October 27, Humes told an officer he was feeling depressed but did not display any behaviour or give any answers that determined he was at risk, she said.
On November 5, Humes told the prison doctor he was having trouble settling and sleeping after spending weeks in a state of hyper arousal being subject to an arrest warrant, the court heard.
The doctor prescribed Humes a sedative often used to treat depression, Ms Burra-Robinson said.
But the doctor did not diagnose Humes with depression or prescribe the drug for that purpose, she said.
The court heard Humes made several phone calls on the morning of his death, the last of which were to his mother and father.
But he gave no indication he was likely to take his life and the number of calls was not unusual for Humes, Ms Burra-Robinson said.
The inquest continues.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
