A senior coroner has issued a stark warning that more people will die at HMP Birmingham unless urgent action is taken to stop drones smuggling drugs into the prison.
Urgent Warning After Inmate's Death
Area Coroner for Birmingham and Solihull, Emma Brown, has formally told the Ministry of Justice there is a "risk that future deaths will occur" at the Winson Green jail. This warning follows the drug-related death of inmate Derrion Adams and forms part of a legally mandated Prevention of Future Deaths report.
The 29-year-old Adams, described by his family as a 'sensitive soul', was found in cardiac arrest in his shared cell on 31 October last year. Beside him were tampered vapes. He had been imprisoned just six months earlier, in April 2024.
An inquest last month concluded he died from complications after using synthetic cannabinoids, commonly known as spice or Black Mamba.
A 'Manic' Day and Systemic Failures
The coroner's report paints a picture of a prison under severe strain. On the day Adams died, the K wing and the entire prison were experiencing a spike in drug-related incidents.
Another medical emergency, a 'code blue', had just occurred on the same wing. This left one officer alone trying to lock up approximately 60 men while others dealt with emergencies.
Prison officers described the situation as "manic" and said they felt "inundated". This chaos, combined with staffing levels, led to a critical delay in answering Adams's cell bell and responding to his cardiac arrest.
Drones Outpacing Prison Security
A central concern raised is the sophisticated use of drones to deliver contraband. The prison told the inquest that while it is "doing everything they can", criminal operations are "more sophisticated than us".
Coroner Brown stated: "A consequence of the ability of criminals to deliver contraband items into HMP Birmingham is that drugs... are available to prisoners. These substances create a risk to life."
She warned that the resulting drug incidents place a "considerable burden" on staff, who also face increased demands from record-keeping and misuse of cell bells.
The report criticises current staffing benchmarks as outdated, based on "historic benchmarking" that fails to account for the modern threat from drones and surges in drug use.
"My overall concern is that current staffing benchmarks may not reflect the escalating operational pressures... leaving prisoner safety and welfare, and that of staff, at significant risk," the coroner added.
Demands for Action and Proposed Measures
The coroner has demanded responses from several bodies, including:
- The Ministry of Justice
- West Midlands Police
- Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- The Prison and Probation Ombudsman
- Cranstoun Recovery
These organisations must detail "action taken or proposed" by January 2026.
In her report, Mrs Brown said: "In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you have the power to take such action."
One proposed measure mentioned is the introduction of tamper-proof vapes in the prison, aimed at limiting the use of psychoactive substances.
The coroner's final, chilling assessment leaves no room for ambiguity: without decisive action to combat the drone drug trade and reassess prison resources, further tragedies at HMP Birmingham are inevitable.
