Rioter Peter Lynch’s cause of death revealed after prison ‘suicide’

Date: 2024-10-31
Rioter Peter Lynch's cause of death revealed after prison 'suicide'
Peter Lynch, 61, was jailed for two years and eight months at Sheffield Crown Court in August (Picture: PA)

A grandad found dead in prison after he was jailed for rioting outside an asylum seeker hotel hanged himself, an inquest has heard.

Peter Lynch, 61, was jailed for two years and eight months at Sheffield Crown Court in August by a judge who heard how he was at the front of a mob which gathered outside the Holiday Inn Express, at Manvers, Rotherham, on August 4, shouting ‘scum’ and ‘child killers’ at police.

He was pictured holding a placard asserting the corruption of MPs, judges, the media and the police.

Lynch was labelled a ‘political prisoner’ by right-wing figures like Tommy Robinson, who wrote on X that the grandfather had been ‘imprisoned by a corrupt judiciary under orders of Keir Starmer’.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Amer Ghazzal/Shutterstock (14824137s) A picture of Peter Lynch who died in jail is placed on a barrier as thousands of far right supporters are expected to take part in a Tommy Robinson rally Security ahead of Tommy Robinson rally, Westminster, London, United Kingdom - 26 Oct 2024
A picture of Peter Lynch who died in jail is placed on a barrier (Picture: Shutterstock)
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock (14824878c) A man wears a 'Justice for Peter Lynch' t-shirt as thousands of far-right protesters march in Victoria, Central London, in solidarity with far-right figure Tommy Robinson, who was arrested under the Terrorism Act. Far-right march in solidarity with Tommy Robinson, London, England, Uk - 26 Oct 2024
A man wears a ‘Justice for Peter Lynch’ t-shirt as thousands of far-right protesters march in Victoria, Central London (Picture: ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)

Demonstrators at the recently jailed activist’s protest in London last weekend wore ‘I am Peter Lynch’ badges.

Mr Lynch died at HMP Moorland, in South Yorkshire, on October 19, Doncaster Coroner’s Court was told on Thursday.

Doncaster’s senior coroner, Nicola Mundy, opened and adjourned the inquest into Mr Lynch’s death at which she was told that his preliminary cause of death was hanging.

The inquest heard that ‘ancillary investigations’ are ongoing into his cause of death and Ms Mundy said she does not yet have a full report from the pathologist.

The coroner explained to members of Mr Lynch’s family, who joined the hearing by video link, how the investigation into the circumstances of his death is continuing and a full inquest will eventually be held in front of a jury.

Mr Lynch’s son, Casey, asked a series of questions about the investigation, saying: ‘I’d like it to be investigated whether my dad should’ve been there in the first place.’

And he also asked why two previous suicide attempts by his father were not ‘taken seriously’.

Casey Lynch asked the coroner if she could source the sentencing remarks of Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, saying: ‘I want to know what remarks he made about my dad on sentence.’

He also said he wanted to know why he had heard a number of different accounts of what time his father was last checked by prison officers on the night before he was found dead.

Undated handout photo issued by South Yorkshire Police of Peter Lynch, a 61-year-old grandfather who was jailed for more than two years after he was filmed screaming abuse at riot police outside a hotel housing asylum seekers, has died in prison. The Ministry of Justice confirmed that Lynch died at HMP Moorland, near Doncaster, on Saturday. Issue date: Monday October 21, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story PRISONS Southport. Photo credit should read: South Yorkshire Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
The crown court heard how Mr Lynch, from Wath-upon-Dearne, Rotherham, had been married for 36 years, had four adult children and three grandchildren (Picture: South Yorkshire Police/PA Wire)
ROTHERHAM, ENGLAND - AUGUST 4: Riot police officers push back anti-migration protesters outside the Holiday Inn Express Hotel which is housing asylum seekers on August 4, 2024 in Rotherham, United Kingdom. Yesterday saw widespread violence as Far-right agitators in Liverpool and Manchester rioted and looted shops. Police were attacked and injured and dozens of arrests were made. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Riot police officers push back anti-migration protesters outside the Holiday Inn Express Hotel which is housing asylum seekers on August 4 in Rotherham (Picture: Getty)

The coroner assured Casey Lynch that he and his family will have input in the investigation and the further hearings, when she will decide the scope of the inquest.

She urged him to supply her with the questions his family want answered and explained how her role was independent of the police and Prison Service.

Earlier, Detective Sergeant Gareth Gent, of South Yorkshire Police, told the inquest how Mr Lynch was last seen alive on Friday October 18 during a roll-call at 7pm.

He was found to be unresponsive and not breathing in his cell by staff the following morning and a ‘Code Blue’ was called at 6.23am.

Mr Gent said CPR was undertaken by officers until paramedics arrived and Mr Lynch was pronounced dead at 6.42am.

The detective said that investigations so far indicated that nobody else had entered the cell before Mr Lynch was found dead and nobody else was involved in his death.

Mr Lynch was jailed in August after body-worn camera footage was shown to the court of him screaming ‘you are protecting people who are killing our kids and raping them’ and ‘scum’ at police with riot shields.

He was one of more than 60 men who have now been jailed at Sheffield Crown Court following the Rotherham rioting, which left 64 police officers injured, as well as four dogs and a horse.

Riot police were pelted with fencing and other missiles and, at one point, an attempt was made to set light to a bin outside the hotel as some of those taking part smashed their way into the building.

About 240 asylum seekers were trapped in the upper storeys while staff have told how they had to barricade themselves into a panic room downstairs, fearing for their lives.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Martin Pope/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock (14825021d) A protester holds a sign that highlights PETER LYNCH who committed suicide in prison recently after being sentenced during the recent nationalist unrest in Doncaster. Thousands of TOMMY ROBINSON supporters gather together and march from Victoria to Parliament Square in London. They had hoped that TOMMY would lead them but police arrested him on Friday 25th October for contempt of court following a previous showing of a film at a protest in London. Uniting the Kingdom Rally in London, England, Uk - 26 Oct 2024
Demonstrators at the recently jailed activist’s protest in London last weekend also wore ‘I am Peter Lynch’ badges (Picture: ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)

At the sentencing hearing on August 22, Judge Richardson heard how Lynch suffered from diabetes, thyroid issues, angina and had recently had a heart attack.

Judge Richardson told him: ‘You did not yourself attack any police officer, as far as can be detected, but what you did was encourage by your conduct others to behave violently and you were part of this mob.’

He was filmed repeatedly challenging officers as they tried to push him back with shields, screaming ‘protect my children’ and yelling: ‘We are on the streets now to protect our kids.’

The crown court heard how Mr Lynch, from Wath-upon-Dearne, Rotherham, had been married for 36 years, had four adult children and three grandchildren.

He was working in the packing industry but was recently made unemployed, his barrister said.

Mr Lynch pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

Ms Mundy adjourned the inquest to a date to be fixed.

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