Stephen Dainton

Stephen Dainton died on 9 May 2020, 11 years after he was assaulted.

He had been born with mild cerebral palsy but was badly injured in an assault at Birtenshaw Hall School in 2009, when he was 19-years-old, resulting in him having a craniotomy for a head injury which left him profoundly disabled and suffering from epilepsy. He had been pushed out of a wheelchair by another pupil there, who had mental health issues.

However, in May 2020 he became unwell with a high temperature and other symptoms and was taken to the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan on 9 May 2020.

Following admission he was found to have clostridium difficile bacteria and was given a course of antibiotics, however, on 14 May 2020 his condition deteriorated and he stopped breathing and died. It was noted that vomit was found in his airways.

His post mortem showed that he died from aspiration related to cardiac arrest, contributed to by c-difficile colitis and an old traumatic brain injury.

It was noted that a police investigation was carried out, but that it was determined that no one would be charged in relation to his death.

Stephen Dainton had required a wheelchair to get around due to his cerebral palsy and in May 2009 he had been in a wheel chair at Birtenshaw Hall School on 5 May 2009 when he was pushed out of it.

It was heard that he had been very pleasant, outgoing and happy when he was growing up and whilst he lived at home, he would often stay overnight at Birtenshaw in Bromley Cross, if he had been at an after school club. He had been 19-years-old at the time.

Whilst at the school on 5 May 2009 another boy, referred to as Boy 2, pushed Stephen Dainton from his wheelchair, causing a traumatic brain injury that left him requiring 24 hour care.

However, the police said that no criminal proceedings would be made due to Boy 2's mental disability. It was further noted that Stephen Dainton's father didn't blame Boy 2 either for what he did, stating that 'He himself was severely disabled'. However, he added that he did blame the school itself for 'lack of risk assessment and supervision'.

Evidence was heard from Stephen Dainton's doctor who said that for the next 11 years that Stephen Dainton had been constantly in and out of hospital with serious infections.

When he was admitted to the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary on 9 May 2020, he was found to have been suffering from pseudomembranous colitis, which was a swelling of the colon due to an overgrowth of C difficile bacteria.

The doctor admitted that that could have been caused by long-term use of antibiotics, but said that the antibiotics had been given to him to reduce the number of serious infections that he had suffered from.

Following his admission, Stephen Dainton appeared to be making a good recovery and was due to be discharged, but his father asked for him to be kept for an extra day for observation. However, Stephen Dainton's condition then deteriorated and he died the following day.

Following his post mortem the doctor said, 'I don’t think he would have died when he did if he didn’t sustain those serious brain injuries'.

The doctor that had treated Stephen Dainton earlier when he died agreed with the doctors findings and added, 'I would say the brain injury reduced his life expectancy and quality of life'.

A representative of the school where Stephen Dainton received his injury, The Birtenshaw Group, said that staff at the children’s home had not been made fully aware of Boy 2’s temperament when the social services had asked for him to be placed there. He said, 'I think we could have, and should have had clearer information from the authority. Had we received that, I think it’s unlikely that he’d be admitted to the service'.

The representative also admitted that staff numbers and lack of training given to staff at the time may have also contributed to the incident. He said, 'In hindsight, I think the registered manager should have taken more care about the number and mixture of staff on duty at the time. In hindsight, staff should have had more training in dealing with behaviour exhibited by Boy 2'. He added that there had been a lot of changes at the home since 2009, with a greater focus on quality standards and changes relating to the mixing of children with different disabilities.

Stephen Dainton's father said, 'He would have been alive today had proper risk assessments been done prior to the placement of the pupil who attacked Stevie. The incident was entirely predictable and in truth, probably avoidable'.

The inquest returned a narrative conclusion, stating, 'The deceased died as a consequence of traumatic brain injuries after being pushed from his wheelchair'.