Inquest into the death of Peter Fittock
Deceased
Peter Andrew Fittock
Demographics
61y, male
Date of death
2014-02-22
Finding date
2016-06-29
Cause of death
self-inflicted hanging
AI-generated summary
Peter Andrew Fittock, a 61-year-old prisoner in low-security housing at Darwin Correctional Centre, died by self-inflicted hanging. He had been incarcerated for 16 years following conviction for murder. Despite a conviction for serious crimes, he had become a well-regarded prisoner running animal breeding and rescue programs and working toward a veterinary nursing qualification. The coroner found his chronic conditions (atrial fibrillation, sleep apnoea) were well-managed, with recent INR levels appropriate. Evidence suggests he was stressed about the possible closure of the animal program due to new prison lease restrictions. The coroner found the Department of Corrections' care, supervision, and treatment were appropriate and did not contribute to his death. No undiagnosed mental illness was identified. His decision appears to have resulted from pragmatic despair over losing his meaningful work rather than any clinical negligence or inadequate custodial care.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- stress related to threatened closure of animal breeding and rescue program
- pragmatism and acceptance of loss of meaningful work and purpose
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