Inquest Finds Terrorism Control Order Had 'Substantial Impact' on Prisoner Who Died at HMP Wandsworth

A jury at an inquest has concluded that a strict terrorism control order imposed on a prisoner had a "substantial impact" on his mental state before he took his own life at HMP Wandsworth on Christmas Day 2021.

Akhtar Uddin, a 35-year-old builder from east London, died while serving a sentence for breaching a Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measure (TPIM). The inquest, held at Inner West London Coroner's Court, was the first ever to examine the effect of such measures on an individual.

The jury found that the imposition of the original TPIM, along with its unusually restrictive terms, played a significant role in affecting Uddin's psychological wellbeing. They also concluded that his fear of the order being re-imposed upon his release from prison, and the possibility that it might never end, had a further substantial effect on his mental state.

In addition, jurors determined that the prison service had failed to provide support tailored to Uddin's specific needs. They found that staff at HMP Wandsworth were largely unaware of TPIM restrictions and the impact those restrictions were likely to have on him.

The jury concluded that Uddin died as a result of an action he took, but stated it was "not possible to determine whether he intended the outcome to be his death."

TPIMs allow authorities to place controls on individuals the government suspects are involved in terrorism but who are not facing criminal charges. The home secretary imposes them on the advice of MI5. Those subject to the measures can face electronic tagging, curfews, relocation to another part of the country, restrictions on internet and financial activity, and limits on whom they may meet and where they may travel.

Breaching a TPIM can lead to a terrorism conviction and imprisonment. The orders can currently last up to five years, an increase from the two-year maximum that applied when Uddin was subject to one.

Uddin had been jailed in February 2020 for breaching the TPIM order. The inquest heard that he breached the measures 12 times by withdrawing more money than he was permitted to, and that he largely spent the funds on drugs. He had more than 20 previous criminal convictions, none of which were for terrorism offences.

Before receiving the TPIM, Uddin had served a sentence for racially or religiously aggravated harassment. The inquest heard that he believed the order was originally imposed because he had made reckless statements while under the influence of drugs, but he insisted he was not a terrorist.

It is understood that Uddin was alleged to have made verbal threats and to have associated with people MI5 regarded as being involved in terrorist activity. The full reasons for a person being placed on a TPIM are typically kept secret, even from the individual concerned, because they are based on intelligence.

When the TPIM was first imposed on Uddin in January 2020, he was forcibly relocated to the West Midlands. He had been arrested at the prison gates in front of his sister, who had come to meet him upon his release.

The inquest heard that Uddin feared the TPIM would be re-imposed when he left prison early in 2022, and that he would breach it again because of his drug use. His sister Jasmine gave evidence that, in the weeks before his death, he had described "counter terrorism officers" questioning him in prison and telling him he would never be free of the TPIM.

Coroner Bernard Richmond KC described Uddin as "loved and loving" but said he was "not someone without his troubles," which centred on his drug use. The coroner said he would issue a report to the government over concerns about risks to other people subject to terrorism control measures.

A governor at HMP Wandsworth accepted in evidence that prison staff's lack of knowledge about TPIMs had led to "unintentionally cruel" treatment of Uddin.

Dr Richard Latham, an NHS consultant forensic psychiatrist who appeared as an expert witness for the coroner, concluded that Uddin had an undiagnosed personality disorder along with associated psychological problems and vulnerabilities. These, he said, resulted in impulsiveness, grievance and paranoia.

Dr Latham said Uddin probably assumed the worst about the TPIM's future, and that this prospect would have created distress and a sense of hopelessness. He added that TPIMs are intended to create a degree of isolation, but that this plays on psychological vulnerability and can produce emotional isolation. Uddin also felt a sense of injustice at being branded a terrorist, the psychiatrist said.

The inquest heard that Uddin's former solicitor, Amer Ahmad, had told him in autumn 2021 that there were "highly limited prospects" of successfully having the TPIM legally overturned.

In a statement issued through their solicitors Birnberg Peirce, Uddin's family said they welcomed the inquest's findings. They said that although nothing could bring back their loving son, brother and uncle, they hoped the outcome would make a real difference to others currently subject to what they described as an inhumane regime.

The case has raised significant questions about how terrorism control measures interact with the prison system and mental health support. The jury's findings suggest that a lack of awareness among prison staff about TPIMs left a vulnerable man without the targeted help he needed, and that the open-ended nature of the restrictions weighed heavily on him in his final months.