Stoke Heath hanged teen was bullied, says cellmate
A teenager who was found hanged in his cell at Shropshire's young offenders' institution was being bullied by other inmates, who were trying to 'pick on him', his inquest has heard.
Nicholas Saunders 18, of Shrewsbury, was serving a 14-month sentence for possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.
He was found dead at HMP and YOI Stoke Heath near Market Drayton on April 2 last year.
The inquest in Wem yesterday heard from another inmate. Martin Sigley shared a cell with Mr Saunders and socialised with him at Stoke Heath.
He said Nicholas was a 'good lad', but there were people that he did not get on with.
He said: "Some people were trying to pick on him. It wasn't like people were taking stuff off him, I saw him being verbally abused two or three times. He was the type of person that would just walk away."
Mr Sigley said that on the morning he died Nicholas made a phone call.
"I don't know who it was to but his voice was raised and then he slammed the phone down and walked off," he said.
"I was not worried. I did not think he was going to harm himself."
The jury also heard from Peter Foord of Shropshire PCT, who said Mr Sanders had come off anti-depressant drugs.
The inquest continues.
