Goodmayes Hospital NHS trust found guilty after death

Benjamin Aninakwa, the ward manager at Goodmayes Hospital, has also been found guilty of a health and safety offence.

The 53-year-old of St Francis Way, Grays, was found to have failed in his duty of care to protect 22-year-old Alice Figueredo in 2015.

Alice was being treated on Hepworth Ward at the hospital after being sectioned under the mental health act in February that year.

Alice Figueredo took her life (Image: Met Police) During a trial lasting seven months, the court heard that Alice stayed at the ward for six months before she took her life on July 7, 2015.

Police launched an investigation five months after the death, following Alice’s parents made a report.

Over 2,600 medical documents were reviewed, many of them hundreds of pages long.

Benjamin Aninakwa is said to have not alerted staff about concerns (Image: Met Police) It was concluded that although Aninakwa knew Alice had a history of self-harm dating back to 2013 – and that he repeatedly failed to report such instances and ensure staff were aware.

Only 13 self-harm instances were reported out of a possible 91, and staff were not told to remove specific items from communal areas of the ward, nor lock away areas of concern.

With sufficient steps not made, Alice was able to access the communal area where she took her life.

The NHS trust was cleared of corporate manslaughter offences at the Old Bailey today (June 9).

Sentencing will take place at a court and on a date that is yet to be arranged.

Aninakwa was found guilty of an offence under section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work Act, having failed to take reasonable care for the health and safety of others.

The Trust was found guilty of an offence under section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act, by failing to ensure that others are not exposed to risks to their health or safety.

‘She should not be ignored’

Alice’s parents, Jane and Max Figueredo, said: “We would like to thank all those involved in the Metropolitan Police, the Crown Prosecution Service and their barristers for their diligent dedication to investigating and prosecuting Alice’s death.

“Thank you for believing that her life mattered and that the way she was so heartbreakingly, abysmally failed by the staff at this hospital, should not just be ignored and kicked into the long grass – which is what we believe NELFT set about doing after Alice died.

“We also want to thank the Judge and the jury in this case for their very evident hard work and conscientious commitment in what has been a much lengthier trial than any of us expected.”

Detective Inspector Jonathan Potter, who led the investigation, said: “My thoughts remain with Alice’s family. They have had to endure years of heartbreak before sitting through a long and difficult trial where they heard time and time again about the tragic series of inactions that led to their daughter’s death.

“This was a complex investigation led by the Metropolitan Police Service, into a unique case that has led to the conviction of the Trust and Benjamin Aninakwa for health and safety offences.

“There is nothing I can say that will bring back Alice, but I hope that today’s verdict offers some comfort to her family.

“While there are thousands of NHS workers that do a commendable job every day, today’s result must also ensure that lessons are learnt to stop the same mistakes happening again.