On June 8th a jury concluded that Thokozani Shiri, 21 years old and living with HIV, died in prison because HMP Chelmsford failed to provide basic medical attention including anti-retroviral medication. You can read the Leigh Day press release here. 

Deborah Gold, Chief Executive of National AIDS Trust said:

“Thoko’s death was heartbreaking and completely avoidable. This verdict underlines how many crucial opportunities were missed leading to his entirely preventable death.

“It is shocking that a young man died whilst in the care of the state from a condition that is entirely treatable. Most people with HIV in the UK live long healthy lives. It is absolutely essential that all state places of detention including prisons and immigration detention centres, have robust systems in place to identify, treat and support detained people living with HIV. It is now incumbent upon the all bodies responsible for the care and treatment of prisoners and detainees to ensure this happens. As Thoko’s death shows, failure to do so has devastating consequences.”