Source · Deaths in custody
PPO Fatal Incident Reports
6,401 incidents
5,674 published
1,165 recommendations
1,633 self-inflicted
3,373 natural causes
Deaths in custody investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. 26% of deaths are self-inflicted. Source: PPO.
Top recommendation themes
Learning & thematic publications
| Title | Type | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PPO response to JSC Inquiry into Children and Young Adults in the Secure Estate | Consultation response | Jun 2026 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 22: Self-inflicted deaths in reception prisons | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Mar 2026 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 21: Segregation | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Mar 2026 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 20: Epilepsy | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Nov 2025 | |
| Annual Report 2024 to 2025 | Annual report | Jul 2025 | |
| Policy into Practice: Handling of prisoners’ property | Policy into Practice | Mar 2025 | |
| Policy into Practice: Handling of property complaints | Policy into Practice | Mar 2025 | |
| Complaints Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 11: Property complaints | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Mar 2025 | |
| PPO response to JSC Tackling Drugs in Prison Inquiry | Consultation response | Feb 2025 | |
| PPO response to JHAC Inquiry into Prison Culture | Consultation response | Feb 2025 | |
| PPO response to JSC inquiry into Rehabilitation and Resettlement | Consultation response | Feb 2025 | |
| Policy into Practice: Emergency Response | Policy into Practice | Jan 2025 | |
| PPO response to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024/25 call for evidence | Consultation response | Jan 2025 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 19: Post-release death investigations 2 | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Jul 2024 | |
| Annual report 2022-23 | Annual report | Jul 2024 | |
| Annual Report 2023-24 | Annual report | Jul 2024 | |
| Policy into practice: Use of force | Policy into Practice | Feb 2024 | |
| PPO response to the inquiry into prison population and capacity | Consultation response | Nov 2023 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 18: Self-inflicted deaths of IPP prisoners | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Sep 2023 | |
| Investigating deaths after release from prison – a pilot evaluation | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Jan 2023 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 17: Post-release death investigations | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Jan 2023 | |
| PPO response to the inquiry into the Prison Operational Workforce | Consultation response | Jan 2023 | |
| Annual Report 2021-22 | Annual report | Oct 2022 | |
| Policy into Practice: Use of restraints on escort | Policy into Practice | Sep 2022 | |
| PPO Response to the Inquiry into IPP sentences | Consultation response | Jan 2022 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 16: Second wave COVID-19 related deaths | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Dec 2021 | |
| Annual Report 2020-21 | Annual report | Sep 2021 | |
| PPO responses to the Inquiry into Women in Prison | Consultation response | Aug 2021 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 15: COVID-19 PPO fatal incident investigations | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Feb 2021 | |
| Complaints Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 10: COVID-19 PPO Complaints | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Dec 2020 |
Incidents
| Name | Establishment | Cause | Status | Date of death | Recs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual at Wymott | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | 19 Feb 2005 | — |
| Individual at Wandsworth | HMP Wandsworth | Self-inflicted | Published | 18 Feb 2005 | — |
| Individual at Wandsworth | HMP Wandsworth | Self-inflicted | Published | 14 Feb 2005 | — |
| Individual at Woodhill | HMP Woodhill | Natural | Published | 13 Feb 2005 | — |
| Individual at Exeter | HMP Exeter | Natural | Published | 13 Feb 2005 | — |
| Individual at Brinsford | HMP Brinsford | Self-inflicted | Published | 12 Feb 2005 | — |
| Individual at Littlehey | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 10 Feb 2005 | — |
| Individual at Altcourse | HMP Altcourse | Self-inflicted | Published | 4 Feb 2005 | — |
| Individual at Wymott | HMP Wymott | Self-inflicted | Published | 3 Feb 2005 | — |
| Individual at New Hall | HMP New Hall | Self-inflicted | Published | 2 Feb 2005 | — |
| Individual at Littlehey | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 30 Jan 2005 | — |
| Individual at Dovegate | HMP Dovegate | Natural | Published | 23 Jan 2005 | — |
| Individual at Stoke Heath | HMP Stoke Heath | Self-inflicted | Published | 22 Jan 2005 | — |
| Individual at Leeds | HMP Leeds | Natural | Published | 21 Jan 2005 | — |
| Individual at Lancaster Farms | HMP Lancaster Farms | Self-inflicted | Published | 20 Jan 2005 | — |
| Individual at Exeter | HMP Exeter | Self-inflicted | Published | 19 Jan 2005 | — |
| Individual at Trent House | Trent House | Other | Published | 14 Jan 2005 | — |
| Individual at Wymott | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | 14 Jan 2005 | — |
| Individual at Littlehey | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 11 Jan 2005 | — |
| Individual at Isle of Wight | HMP Isle of Wight | Natural | Published | 10 Jan 2005 | — |
| Individual at Swaleside | HMP Swaleside | Self-inflicted | Published | 10 Jan 2005 | — |
| Individual at Acklington | HMP Acklington | Natural | Published | 9 Jan 2005 | — |
| Individual at Belmarsh | HMP Belmarsh | Other | Published | 3 Jan 2005 | — |
| Individual at Acklington | HMP Acklington | Natural | Published | 29 Dec 2004 | — |
| Individual at Bullingdon | HMP Bullingdon | Self-inflicted | Published | 29 Dec 2004 | — |
| Individual at Garth | HMP Garth | Natural | Published | 29 Dec 2004 | — |
| Individual at Bedford | HMP Bedford | Self-inflicted | Published | 27 Dec 2004 | — |
| Individual at Wymott | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | 21 Dec 2004 | — |
| Individual at Bullingdon | HMP Bullingdon | Natural | Published | 14 Dec 2004 | — |
| Individual at Liverpool | HMP Liverpool | Self-inflicted | Published | 13 Dec 2004 | — |
| Individual at Hull | HMP Hull | Natural | Published | 13 Dec 2004 | — |
| Individual at Dovegate | HMP Dovegate | Natural | Published | 10 Dec 2004 | — |
| Individual at Liverpool | HMP Liverpool | Natural | Published | 6 Dec 2004 | — |
| Individual at Norwich | HMP Norwich | Natural | Published | 30 Nov 2004 | — |
| Individual at Frankland | HMP Frankland | Natural | Published | 29 Nov 2004 | — |
| Individual at Maidstone | HMP Maidstone | Natural | Published | 27 Nov 2004 | — |
| Individual at Wormwood Scrubs | HMP Wormwood Scrubs | Self-inflicted | Published | 23 Nov 2004 | — |
| Individual at Lindholme | HMP Lindholme | Natural | Published | 22 Nov 2004 | — |
| Individual at Rye Hill | HMP Rye Hill | Natural | Published | 21 Nov 2004 | — |
| Individual at Durham | HMP Durham | Natural | Published | 19 Nov 2004 | — |
| Individual at Ranby | HMP Ranby | Natural | Published | 19 Nov 2004 | — |
| Individual at Lincoln | HMP Lincoln | Self-inflicted | Published | 17 Nov 2004 | — |
| Individual at Bristol | HMP Bristol | Natural | Published | 15 Nov 2004 | — |
| Individual at Downview | HMP Downview | Natural | Published | 13 Nov 2004 | — |
| Individual at Abingdon Road | Abingdon Road | Natural | Published | 13 Nov 2004 | — |
| Individual at Manchester | HMP Manchester | Self-inflicted | Published | 11 Nov 2004 | — |
| Individual at The Verne | HMP The Verne | Self-inflicted | Published | 9 Nov 2004 | — |
| Individual at Frankland | HMP Frankland | Natural | Published | 7 Nov 2004 | — |
| Individual at Swansea | HMP Swansea | Self-inflicted | Published | 1 Nov 2004 | — |
| Individual at Belmarsh | HMP Belmarsh | Natural | Published | 29 Oct 2004 | — |