The Article 2 inquest into the death of Liam McGenity is due to begin on Monday 19 February 2024 at Cheshire Coroner’s Court in front of HM Area Coroner Victoria Davies sitting with a jury. The inquest is scheduled to last 10 days (19 February to 01 March 2024).
Liam McGenity died on 2nd March 2021 whilst an inpatient at St Mary’s Hospital, Warrington, a private mental health facility run by Elysium Healthcare for men aged 18 and over. Liam was admitted to St Mary’s Hospital in February 2021 following a mental health crisis and his bed was commissioned by the NHS. He was 29 years old at the time of his death.
The inquest is set to examine the following:
(1) Liam’s state of mind from 27 November 2020;
(2) The mental health treatment received from 27 November 2020 to the date of death;
(3) The circumstances of Liam being found on 02 March 2021 including the observations of him and how these were carried out, and ligature risks within the bathroom;
(4) Multi-disciplinary team meetings and communication between all institutions and case workers from 27 November 2020 onwards, in particular around level of risk to himself;
(5) Assessment and management of risk of suicide in the lead up to the death of Mr McGenity.
Liam’s family said,
“We lost Liam on 2nd March 2021, devastatingly whilst he was an inpatient at St Mary’s Mental Health Hospital.
“Liam was a 29-year-old talented musician, with such a bright future ahead of him. He was utterly hilarious, with boundless energy and a zest for life, living each day to its fullest. Spreading love and happiness with his caring, creative and confident personality.
“We are blessed to be left with his beautiful music; his meaningful lyrics, soulful voice and skilled guitar playing. There are many of his much-loved songs on various music streaming platforms that we encourage everyone to listen to.
“In November 2020, Liam faced a mental health crisis, and after being sectioned, he was passed around various hospitals over a period of three months. Liam had never attempted to take his own life, indeed he loved life, and despite his challenges, Liam was full of life, optimism, and determination, which is what makes his loss in these circumstances even harder to come to terms with.
“We expect the inquest to explore the treatment and care that Liam received during this time, and predominantly at St Mary’s Hospital. We are particularly concerned to understand why Liam tragically gave up on his wonderful life and how it was allowed to happen in a supposedly safe environment.
We sincerely hope and expect that the inquest will determine the circumstances surrounding Liam’s tragic death and identify any areas that need to be improved to ensure the safety of other patients at all mental health facilities.
Liam’s family are represented by Kelly Darlington, Partner at Farleys Solicitors alongside Lily Lewis of Garden Court North Chambers.
Kelly added,
“This is an extremely tragic case where another young life has been lost in mental health detention. A setting where patients are meant to be kept safe and policies and procedures adhered to at all times. Liam’s family have been utterly devastated by his death and have shown nothing but courage and dignity in what has been a lengthy and complex inquest process. It is hoped that the inquest will give them the long-awaited answers they have been waiting for and go some way in bringing them a sense of closure.”