Inquest into the death of Steven McHugh
Deceased
Steven McHugh
Demographics
60y, male
Date of death
2022-03-31
Finding date
2023-10-11
Cause of death
Plastic bag asphyxia
AI-generated summary
Steven McHugh, a 60-year-old man, died from plastic bag asphyxia in Junee Correctional Centre on 31 March/1 April 2022. He had recently been extradited from Victoria to NSW to face additional charges and was held in protective custody due to safety concerns. Upon admission, Justice Health screening noted concerns about bail prospects and family distance, but he denied self-harm thoughts and had no documented history of mental health issues during his 7-year Victorian sentence. No warning signs of suicide risk were identified, and overnight cell checks showed him in bed as expected. The coroner found no third-party involvement or suspicious circumstances. Since his death, CSNSW has implemented safeguards including removal of garbage bin liners from cells and amended policies restricting inmate access to plastic bags.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Specialties
Contributing factors
- Recent extradition to NSW to face additional charges
- Separation from elderly mother in Victoria
- Unsuccessful bail application on 29 March 2022
- Placement in protective custody due to safety concerns related to nature of allegations
- Access to plastic bags in correctional facility
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