![\"Michelle](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2_Snapinstapp_240717457_595171401474675_3889349590895226013_n_1080.jpg\")
Michelle Sparman died in August 2021 after a voluntary admission to Queen Mary’s Hospital(Image: fitsw11\/Instagram)<\/p>\nMichelle Sparman, 48, ended her own life when she should have been safe in hospitalMichelle Sparman died in August 2021 after a voluntary admission to Queen Mary’s Hospital(Image: fitsw11\/Instagram)<\/p>\n
A woman who felt like she was being abused by her ex took her own life after a South London psychiatric unit failed to properly search her things, a coroner has concluded. Michelle Sparman, 48-year-old a personal trainer and call dispatcher for the Metropolitan Police<\/a>, died on August 28 2021 at Kingston hospital, four days after tying a ligature at Queen Mary\u2019s hospital in Roehampton.<\/p>\n Assistant Coroner Bernard Richmond KC, concluded that Sparman, of Battersea, died of a hypoxic brain injury, having attempted suicide \u201cwhilst the balance of her mind was disturbed, contributed to by neglect\u201d after self-admitting as a voluntary in-patient on Rose Ward, a locked 20-bed female-only mental health unit.<\/p>\n The probable causes of her decision, included: struggles with anxiety, depression, and impulsiveness; a \u201cdifficult relationship\u201d with her ex-partner, including \u201cintemperate and excessive texting\u201d from him, which called into question her mental health and fitness to be a mother; her \u201cjustifiable feelings of abuse\u201d as a result of his behaviour; and inadequate searching on leaving and entering the ward.<\/p>\n \u201cThe duty to protect someone in a mental health ward from injuring themself with items seems to me to be a fundamental obligation of the ward,\u201d said Richmond, adding: \u201cThe failure to search adequately is so fundamental, it easily passes the Jamieson test [a standard of proof for a finding of neglect in an inquest] \u2026 She did precisely the thing she should have been guarded against.\u201d<\/p>\n Richmond will write a prevention of future deaths report looking at a need for mental health wards to introduce a centralised record of all dangerous items that are on the ward, which he plans to submit to NHS<\/a> England given its potential national implications.<\/p>\n Richmond noted the impact of Sparman\u2019s \u201cdifficult relationship\u201d with her ex-partner Roger Stephens, and though he felt there was \u201cno doubt a great deal of love between them\u201d, the relationship developed a \u201ccertain toxicity\u201d.<\/p>\n Stephens admitted he sent too many texts while giving evidence, but Richmond concluded he had not done so \u201cdeliberately\u201d. In texts sent to her siblings however, Sparman said she could \u201cend up killing myself\u201d over her former partner\u2019s behaviour.<\/p>\n Jennifer MacLeod said: \u201cThe family\u2019s position is that she perceived that as abuse, and all the medical professionals we have heard from perceived that as abuse.\u201d Shaun Case, Sparman\u2019s half-brother, said she spoke of \u201canxiety, tightness in her chest when his [Stephens\u2019] name came up on her phone\u201d, and that she feared him turning up at her flat.<\/p>\n On August 21 2021, Sparman was taken to hospital after Stephens found she had taken an overdose and self-harmed. Sparman was categorised red, meaning she was supposed to be searched for harmful items. Ward manager Meredith Kuleshnyk, who found Sparman, said lessons had been learned since her death.<\/p>\n Although he acknowledged the staffing pressures the ward was under, Richmond determined that the absence of record-keeping was \u201ca profoundly worrying state of affairs\u201d. Despite evidence suggesting Rose Ward\u2019s practices had changed, Richmond said he was not satisfied that a \u201crobust recording system\u201d was now in place.<\/p>\n After the inquest concluded Stephens said: \u201cI met Michelle in our early 20s. We built our lives together and raised two beautiful children in a loving home. I cared deeply for her. Our relationship unfortunately broke down and at times we both did not behave as we should have.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the coroner determined after hearing all the evidence that I did not do anything deliberately to harm Michelle. The coroner did not find that I abused her. There were numerous pressures on Michelle at the time of her death.<\/p>\n “I loved her and I still do, as do my children, and we wish that she was with us today. This process has been very difficult for me and my children, and I look forward to putting it behind us.\u201d<\/p>\n Hannana Siddiqui, Director of Policy, Campaigns and Research at Southall Black Sisters said: \u201cWe welcome the Assistant Coroner\u2019s recognition that Michelle\u2019s suicide resulted from a state of mind in which she felt she was being subjected to domestic abuse and due to neglect from the NHS psychiatric ward.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a landmark decision as it is one of a handful of cases in which the link between suicide and domestic abuse has been explicitly recognised, especially in relation to a Black, minoritised, and migrantwoman. We believe it will aid in preventing suicides and in holding perpetrators to account.<\/p>\n \u201cThe police had previously failed to investigate Michelle\u2019s death as a possible criminal offence, and we now call on them and the Crown Prosecution Service to review the case.”<\/p>\n Frank Mullane, CEO of Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse said, \u201cMichelle Sparman felt ‘trapped’ by the domestic abuse she was experiencing. This was a finding from the inquest which concluded that Michelle\u2019s view that she suffered abuse was justifiable and that this was one of four probable causes of death.<\/p>\n “The family and multiple medical professionals also concluded that Michelle suffered domestic abuse. It is fitting that more coroners are beginning to see and understand the links between domestic abuse and suicide.”<\/p>\n Want to contact Callum about this story? Please email callum.cuddeford@reachplc.com<\/a> or Signal +447580255582<\/strong><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_Michelle-Sparman-Family-and-Southall-Black-Sisters-2.jpg\")
Michelle’s family with members of the Southall Black Sisters(Image: SBS)<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1_1624d4d1-a1f3-4c59-914a-fe752e845416.jpg\")
Roger Stephens said he ‘cared deeply’ for Michelle and did not deliberately harm her(Image: Roger Stephens)<\/p>\n![\"Bernard](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2_B_Richmond_final2.jpg\")
Bernard Richmond KC concluded Michelle Sparman’s death was contributed to by neglect(Image: Lamb Building)<\/p>\n