Before HM Senior Coroner Dr James Adeley
Preston Coroner’s Court
County Hall, Pitt Street, Preston PR1 8XJ
Opens 28 February 2022 - scheduled for four weeks
Kelly Hartigan-Burns, 35, died in 2016 after being arrested and put in a Blackburn police cell whilst in a mental health crisis. A Lancashire police hearing
concluded last October with a finding of gross misconduct against the custody sergeant who booked her in. Now the inquest will go ahead to establish the full circumstances of her death.
Kelly was found unresponsive in a cell at Greenbank Police Station at around 1.30am on 4 December 2016, having self-ligatured. She was taken to hospital and put on life support where on 5 December 2016 she was pronounced dead.
Originally from Bolton, Kelly lived in Darwen with her civil partner Cal Hartigan-Burns. Cal sadly died in 2020 before learning the full details of what happened to Kelly.
Kelly’s family describe her as a bright and positive person. Although her mental health was impacted by the sudden and traumatic death of her father when she was a teenager, she went on to get her degree and to help people with substance misuse issues.
Kelly’s history of mental ill health, self-harm and alcohol misuse brought her under the care of community mental health professionals at East Lancashire NHS Trust. By the end of November 2016, her family had become increasingly concerned about her.
Late on 3 December 2016, a member of the public called 999 and reported seeing Kelly on a main road in her pyjamas, expressing thoughts of self-harm. Lancashire police officers attended and took her home. Her partner, who was a nurse, explained that Kelly was vulnerable and needed care, and that things had just got out of hand.
Instead of using their mental health powers to take Kelly to a place of safety, police arrested her for common assault and took her to Greenbank Police Station, still in her pyjamas. The circumstances of the 999 call and Kelly’s history of self-harm were not explored, and she was placed in a cell where she was able to make and use a ligature.
Kelly was found unresponsive in the cell and was taken to hospital where she later died. The inquest will explore the actions of police in arresting Kelly, their actions on arrival in custody, and the care she received after that.
ENDS