Leo Barnes: 'No issues' before suicide of man accused of murdering two pensioners

Leo Barnes, aged 33, was found dead in his cell at HMP Hewell on January 25, 2015.

At the time he was on trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court for the murder of 80-year-old Halesowen grandmother Cynthia Beamond and another pensioner, Philip Silverstone, in London.

But speaking at his inquest in Stourport yesterday, the senior custody officer at the crown court said there were no signs Barnes was at risk.

Marie Dance, from prison transportation company GeoAmey, added that if anything had happened to suggest he was, it would have been logged.

Miss Dance came into contact with Barnes on six days while he was on trial at the court charged with the double murder.

She said Barnes was asked 'on every day' about his mental state, despite the questions only being officially recorded on January 20.

Referring to that date, Miss Dance said: "I spoke to Mr Barnes and he stated to myself that he had no thoughts or issues at present."

Pressed by coroner Geraint Williams, Miss Dance said crown court cell staff would have inquired daily about Barnes' mental state because he had previously been on a heightened level of risk assessment, which had recently lapsed.

The inquest previously heard how Joseph Kotrie-Monson, part of the defence counsel at Wolverhampton Crown Court, said Barnes had told him he wanted to take his own life.

Mr Kotrie-Monson said he had mentioned this to the staff in the cells under the court but this was not noted on any of the cell staff's records.

But Miss Dance insisted if that conversation had happened she 'would have expected my officers to have noted that and investigated it'.

She added: "You have to take any comments seriously, and we do. I would still expect my officers to note that and bring it to my attention."

Any comments of this kind would immediately be flagged up in a Suicide and Self Harm (SASH) Form, she added.

However, during questioning Miss Dance admitted there were 'some discrepancies' with her team's paperwork including conversations not logged and incorrect visitor names written down.

Barnes, from Birmingham, had denied two counts of murder.

Before his death, the court heard how Barnes knew Mrs Beamond growing up as she lived on the same road as his grandparents. He was alleged to have killed her in her home in Juliet Road.

The pensioner was found dead in her garage after her family grew concerned that they could not contact her and reported her missing.

He was then said to have travelled to London and killed Mr Silverstone.

The inquest continues.