Benjamin Hyland inquest: Terror suspect took his own life at HMP Leeds

A terror suspect said to have been inspired by Guy Fawkes took his own life in prison shortly after his arrest, an inquest has heard.

The body of Benjamin Hyland was found in his cell at HMP Leeds on 11 December 2022 after he was charged with 11 offenses under the Terrorism Act.

The 29-year-old had been accused of buying chemicals with the intention of making explosives and trying to make a 3D printed gun.

On Tuesday, a jury at Wakefield Coroner’s Court returned a unanimous verdict of suicide in the case.

The inquest was previously told that Mr Hyland, who grew up in Devon but moved to Leeds in his 20s, was arrested on December 2, 2022.

He spent seven days in custody before being charged and then sent to HMP Leeds.

In a statement read out at the inquest on Monday, his partner said he ‘couldn’t have coped’ in prison, adding: ‘I have learned that Ben has been told by social services that he is not allowed to speak to children in the emotional effect this might have on them.

“I think that was the last straw for Ben.”

The inquest was told that despite deliberately banging his head on his cell door while in custody on December 7, Mr Hyland was not considered to be at high risk of self-harm.

The jury heard that the suspect told prison staff at HMP Leeds that the incident was isolated and endured out of frustration at the treatment he received while in custody.

Mr Hyland, who was said to have insisted he had no thought or intention to harm himself again, was kept in solitary confinement due to the nature of his charges.

Leading the jury ahead of their deliberations, Coroner Oliver Longstaff told them that the evidence indicated that suicide was “the only appropriate conclusion” in the case.