Inquest jury finds important information wasn't shared before Woodbridge man took his own life
Noel Porter died in 2023 after being released from police custody.
Last updated 15th Sep 2026
An inquest jury's found important information wasn't shared before a man from Woodbridge took his own life.
25-year-old Noel Porter was found dead on the 22nd of November 2023, after being released from police custody.
He had been arrested on the 19th of November and was remanded in custody. He was released after the court hearing.
He was found by police the day after he pleaded guilty to driving offences - he'd been reported missing by his family.
Noel had been receiving support before his death, and the inquest has examined how concerns about his mental health were handled.
The jury found police and support services failed to share important information about his risks - but couldn't say whether that contributed to his death.
The inquest has concluded he died by suicide - but the jury couldn't say whether the lack of communication played a part.
Addressing the family, coroner Peter Taheri said they'd shown "admirable dignity and grace" throughout the Inquest.
Noel's mother, Pamela Porter, said:
“Noel was a hard-working person who would always do his best for those close to him. He loved working with his hands and had been recognised for his talent in metalwork.
“Throughout this inquest, we have heard how Noel expressed his distressed emotional state to police officers, and that it was clear he was at risk of harming himself on release. Given this, and the fact police had felt it necessary to keep Noel in custody for his own safety, we are disappointed that more steps were not taken to support Noel following his court hearing.
“We feel that more should have been done to properly share information about Noel’s mental wellbeing, and that this should have promoted further assessment and care which we think should have led to more support being in place for Noel.
"Our hope from this inquest is that the findings can lead to improvements being made to help stop this from happening to anybody else.
“Noel was an integral part of our family’s lives, and things will never be the same without him.”
Noel's family are represented by Leigh Day solicitors Yvonne Kestler and Charlotte Baldwin. Yvonne Kestler said:
“This inquest has revealed the mental state Noel was in at the time of his arrest, and how he clearly expressed suicidal feelings to police officers who interacted with him. However, these details do not appear to have been effectively shared with other agencies.
“Noel’s family raise serious questions over what they feel was a lack of communication of the significant risks to Noel on his release from state custody. The possibility of him taking his own life had been acknowledged by police officers following his arrest, and Noel’s family cannot understand why this was not communicated and why it did not lead to further support being available for him. The jury's findings reflect the gaps in communication between some staff and agencies, which Noel's family hope can be improved in light of this conclusion."
A Serco spokesperson said: "Our thoughts remain with Mr Porter's family. We are reviewing the inquest’s findings and any recommendations relating to his death."
We have contacted Suffolk Police and Turning Point for a statement.
Mental Health/Suicide
If you, or someone you know is suffering with their mental health, or experiencing suicidal thoughts, you can speak to your GP. If someone's life is in danger - call 999 immediately.
You can also find help and advice from these services:
Hub of Hope - https://hubofhope.co.uk
Samaritans – Call 116123 - https://www.samaritans.org
Mind - 0300 123 3393 - https://www.mind.org.uk