Andrew George Messum, 70, of St Albans Crescent in Woodford, died at Whipps Cross Hospital, Leytonstone.
A coroner announced on Wednesday (April 2) that the death would almost certainly demand a jury inquest, as Mr Messum was detained under the Mental Health Act at the time.
“On the 8th of March 2025, he had been found having suffered a collapse,” senior coroner Graeme Irvine told East London Coroner’s Court.
A CT scan found “injuries to his brain” and a neurosurgeon determined he was not suitable for surgery.
He died at the hospital three days later. After a post-mortem examination, a pathologist gave his cause of death as bronchopneumonia, as a result of a subdural haematoma – a bleed between the brain and the skull.
Mr Irvine said Mr Messum was in state detention “when he sustained his fatal injuries”, and “the cause of death indicates that trauma contributed to the death”.
As rules demand “unnatural or violent deaths that occur while a person is in state detention must be heard before a jury”, he said, that would “very likely” be the case for Mr Messum.
He declared Mr Messum’s family “interested persons” – a legal status entitling them to access evidence before the inquest and question any witnesses called to give evidence.
Barts Health NHS Trust, which runs Whipps Cross, was also given interested person status.
The coroner asked the family to provide a statement outlining “the circumstances of Mr Messum’s detention”, “what they know about how the injuries were sustained” and “any concerns that they have”.
He also ordered disclosure of key evidence held by the hospital, including Mr Messum’s clinical records, care plan and a statement from the consultant responsible for his care.
“It seems very likely that the trust will be undertaking an internal investigation,” Mr Irvine said.
“I will need to have the finished report when it is concluded.”
He said he would also need all the statements from staff which informed the investigation.
If Mr Messum had also been treated by a specific mental health trust, the coroner added, he would need their records too – and they could be added as a third interested party.
A Barts Health spokesperson said: “We will support the court process and answer any enquiries the coroner might have.”
