Hospital Trust Fined £565k After Young Patient, 22, Took Her Own Life on Neglected Ward
By Emmanuel Thomas l Tuesday, Nov.12, 2025
LONDON, UK – A NHS Trust has been hammered with a colossal £565,000 fine after a judge ruled devastating health and safety failings led to the tragic death of a young patient.
Alice Figueiredo, just 22, took her own life at Goodmayes Hospital in 2015 after being failed by the very people sworn to protect her.
The North East London NHS Foundation Trust was hauled before the Old Bailey and found guilty of failing in its duty of care, exposing patients to “risks to their health or safety.”
The shocking verdict, delivered after a decade-long fight for justice by Alice’s parents, has resulted in a total bill of more than £765,000 for the Trust, including court costs.
In a further blow, ward manager Benjamin Aninakwa, 53, who was responsible for Alice’s safety, was given a six-month suspended prison sentence and ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work.
The court heard Aninakwa failed in his “duty of care” to the vulnerable young woman who had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
He repeatedly failed to report Alice’s history of self-harm, dating back years, and keep staff in the loop – even though she was, by his own admission, his only patient actively trying to harm themselves.
A Met Police investigation revealed a shocking level of cover-up, finding only 13 self-harm incidents were reported out of a possible 81.
Officers found Aninakwa failed to remove dangerous items from communal areas and ensure patients were properly observed on the Hepworth Ward.
As a result, Alice was able to access a communal area where she tragically took her own life on Tuesday, July 7, 2015.
‘FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE’
Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Yorke, from Specialist Crime North, spoke of the severity of the findings.
“The judge’s verdict today reflects the severity of the failings at Goodmayes Hospital,” she said.
”I hope that the sentences handed down today will bring some measure of closure to Alice’s family, who have been fighting for justice for their daughter for over a decade.”
The probe, launched nine months after Alice’s death, was described as “extremely complex,” involving officers painstakingly combing through more than 2,600 medical documents and dozens of witness statements.
DCI Yorke added: “This result highlights the fact that hospitals have a duty of care to their patients – and breaches of this will not be ignored.”
