An internal inquiry into the suicide of a person under arrest at Mt Carmel Hospital Forensic Unit found shortcomings by members of staff but it was too early to say whether this amounted to criminal negligence, the Ministry of Home Affairs said today.

The inquiry was ordered by the minister after the incident on January 9 when Briton Richard Geoffrey Paxton was found unconscious. He was being held under preventive arrest at the time.

Josephine Abdilla conducted the inquiry.

The ministry said the inquiry report has been analysed and discussed with the Attorney Genera.

However in order to avoid prejudicing the case, there was a limit to how much information can be publicly revealed. 

It said the purpose of the inquiry was mostly administrative and for reasons of discipline. It was  the independent magisterial inquiry which had to decide whether a crime was committed and whether somebody should be arraigned.

However the ministry said that according to the inquiry, while there were no administrative shortcomings, there were shortcomings by some employees.

It was premature to say whether these shortcomings amounted to criminal negligence or any other crime since that was not the role of the inquiry.

The ministry said it was continuing to work for such places of detention to function well. The situation is currently under review by a committee headed by Dr Andrè Camilleri.