Aboriginal prisoner suffered '10/10 pain' after enduring multiple seizures in custody as an inquest hears the horrid details of the 22-year-old's death
- Tane Chatfield, 22, died on September 22, 2017, at Tamworth Base hospital, NSW
- An inquest heard Monday the father-of-one had three seizures on September 19
- He was taken to hospital at 11pm that night and medicated for '10 out of 10 pain'
- Although unhappy to be discharged early, he was seemed positive for the future
- Hours after arriving back at jail, on the 20th, he was found hanging in his cell
An inquest into the death of an indigenous man in NSW custody has heard the young father suffered '10 out of 10 pain' hours after multiple seizures.
Tane Chatfield was in agony after suffering multiple seizures on his last night in remand, the inquest into his death heard.
The 22-year-old father died on September 22, 2017 after being held on remand at Tamworth Correctional Centre for two years.
Mr Chatfield was taken to Tamworth Base Hospital about 11pm on September 19 and on three separate occasions requested and received Panadol and Endone, according to officers who guarded him overnight.
Tane Chatfield (pictured), 22, was found unresponsive in Tamworth Correctional Centre on September 20, 2017
Correctional officer Harrison Fittler on Tuesday told the inquest, headed by deputy state coroner Harriet Grahame, that Mr Chatfield 'curled himself into a ball' and complained of body aches sometime between 1.30am and 2am on September 20.
'He (Chatfield) mentioned body aches and pains and described them as a '10 out of 10 pain',' said Mr Fittler, who was at the foot of the Kamilaroi Gumbaynggirr Wakka Wakka man's bed.
The correctional officer also recalled speaking to Mr Chatfield about his family, his hope for acquittal in court and how he was 'quite keen to get back out to spend time with (his) partner and son'.
Mr Fittler said Mr Chatfield was unhappy about being discharged from hospital after daybreak due to lingering pain but appeared 'calm and relaxed' upon his return to the prison.
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'From what I could see he wasn't disoriented or showing any signs of concern,' Mr Fittler said.
Another correctional officer who guarded Mr Chatfield that morning, Justin Cromie, also recalled the indigenous man asking for painkillers while in hospital.
The inquest on Monday heard Mr Chatfield on September 19 had multiple seizures and expressed distress at his separation from cellmate Darren Brian Cutmore.
In an opening statement made on Monday by counsel assisting Tracey Stevens, the inquest heard Mr Chatfield 'knocked up' on his call button and informed Corrective Services officers he felt unwell.
An inquest has heard the father-of-one (pictured in 2014) was hospitalised for seizures the night before he was found hanging in his cell
The man who replaced Cutmore as Mr Chatfield's cellmate, Barry Evans, later 'knocked up' again and told officers he saw the Armidale man having a fit.
On the morning of September 20, after Mr Chatfield's return from hospital, correctional officers performed a 'let go' of inmates but Ms Stevens said Mr Chatfield remained secured in his cell.
Brendon O'Leary, an inmate 'sweeper' who is yet to give evidence at the inquest, then called for officers after looking into Mr Chatfield's cell.
Ms Stevens said corrective service officers found Mr Chatfield hanging in his cell before starting resuscitation and calling for an ambulance.
He was taken to Tamworth hospital's intensive care unit but died two days later.
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