AN INQUIRY into the death of a man who took his own life at HMP Greenock almost four years ago has concluded that there were ‘no reasonable precautions’ which might have prevented his passing.

Local man Martin McGhee died at the age of 44 while serving a sentence at the prison on January 26, 2021.

As with all deaths in custody in Scotland, a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) was held to establish which steps, if any, might be taken to prevent other deaths in a similar situation.

Following the leading of evidence at Greenock Sheriff Court in July, Sheriff James Varney's findings have now been published.

A fatal accident inquiry was held at Greenock Sheriff Court.A fatal accident inquiry was held at Greenock Sheriff Court. (Image: Google Street View) They note that the cause of Mr McGhee’s death was ‘an incised wound of the left arm’.

He had been taken into custody at HMP Greenock on December 24, 2020, following an appearance at court, and on January 20 of the following year he was sentenced to 10 months in prison for breaches of a non-harassment order.

At the time of his sentencing Mr McGhee had also been given 'protected status' because of an outstanding sexual offence case due to call at the town's sheriff court the following month.

READ MORE: Fatal accident inquiry held into death of inmate at HMP Greenock

Sheriff Varney's determination found that Mr McGhee was assessed by a nurse and a doctor upon being taken into custody in December, with both noting no concerns over a risk of self-harm.

After his sentencing in January, another nurse assessed him to be ‘conversing well’ and determined that he had ‘no suicidal ideation’.

On January 24, Mr McGhee submitted a self-referral healthcare form which reported that he felt ‘physically unwell’ and ‘low in mood and tired’.

He also made a phone call to family members on this date, in which he discussed his non-harassment order breaches.

Another prisoner, who was situated in a nearby cell, enquired about his wellbeing after this call, noting that he was ‘upset’ and ‘looked as though he was about to cry’.

Mr McGhee told the man he was ‘fine’.

Martin McGhee was serving a sentence at HMP GreenockMartin McGhee was serving a sentence at HMP Greenock (Image: Newsquest) At around 7.45am on January 25, two prison officers found Mr McGhee unresponsive.

An ambulance was called, with paramedics pronouncing him dead at 8:09am.

During the FAI, Sheriff Varney was invited by a representative of Mr McGhee’s next of kin to consider that an inconsistency in completing a log of razor blades provided to inmates was a fact relevant to the circumstances of his death.

A fiscal depute also requested that he consider the compliance of prison custody officers, both in this specific case and generally.

In his determination, Sheriff Varney said he was 'unable to identify any reasonable precautions which might have prevented his death'.

He added: “There was insufficient evidence led for me to conclude that any real issue existed with completing paperwork at HMP Greenock, or indeed that it was relevant to the death.

“Taking all of the evidence into account, together with the findings made, I do not consider there to be any recommendations which would be appropriate.”