Source · Deaths in custody

PPO Fatal Incident Reports

6,470 incidents 5,745 published 1,502 recommendations 1,653 self-inflicted 3,404 natural causes

Deaths in custody investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. 26% of deaths are self-inflicted. Source: PPO.

Learning & thematic publications

75 cross-establishment publications

Learning Lessons Bulletins (50), thematic reviews (2), consultation responses (11), Policy into Practice (5) and annual reports (7): the systemic patterns the Ombudsman draws from many investigations.

TitleTypeDateSource
Annual Report 2025 to 2026 Annual report Jul 2026 PDF
PPO response to JSC Inquiry into Children and Young Adults in the Secure Estate  Consultation response Jun 2026 PDF
Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 21: Segregation Learning Lessons Bulletin Mar 2026 PDF
Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 22: Self-inflicted deaths in reception prisons Learning Lessons Bulletin Mar 2026 PDF
Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 20: Epilepsy Learning Lessons Bulletin Nov 2025 PDF
Annual Report 2024 to 2025 Annual report Jul 2025 PDF
Policy into Practice: Handling of prisoners’ property Policy into Practice Mar 2025 PDF
Policy into Practice: Handling of property complaints Policy into Practice Mar 2025 PDF
Complaints Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 11: Property complaints Learning Lessons Bulletin Mar 2025 PDF
PPO response to JSC inquiry into Rehabilitation and Resettlement Consultation response Feb 2025 PDF
PPO response to JHAC Inquiry into Prison Culture Consultation response Feb 2025 PDF
PPO response to JSC Tackling Drugs in Prison Inquiry Consultation response Feb 2025 PDF
Policy into Practice: Emergency Response Policy into Practice Jan 2025 PDF
PPO response to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024/25 call for evidence Consultation response Jan 2025 PDF
Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 19: Post-release death investigations 2 Learning Lessons Bulletin Jul 2024 PDF
Annual report 2022-23 Annual report Jul 2024 PDF
Annual Report 2023-24 Annual report Jul 2024 PDF
Policy into practice: Use of force Policy into Practice Feb 2024 PDF
PPO response to the inquiry into prison population and capacity Consultation response Nov 2023 PDF
Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 18: Self-inflicted deaths of IPP prisoners Learning Lessons Bulletin Sep 2023 PDF
Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 17: Post-release death investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Jan 2023 PDF
Investigating deaths after release from prison – a pilot evaluation Learning Lessons Bulletin Jan 2023 PDF
PPO response to the inquiry into the Prison Operational Workforce Consultation response Jan 2023 PDF
Annual Report 2021-22 Annual report Oct 2022 PDF
Policy into Practice: Use of restraints on escort Policy into Practice Sep 2022 PDF
PPO Response to the Inquiry into IPP sentences Consultation response Jan 2022 PDF
Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 16: Second wave COVID-19 related deaths Learning Lessons Bulletin Dec 2021 PDF
Annual Report 2020-21 Annual report Sep 2021 PDF
PPO responses to the Inquiry into Women in Prison Consultation response Aug 2021 PDF
Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 15: COVID-19 PPO fatal incident investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Feb 2021 PDF

Incidents

6,470 records
Name Establishment Cause Status Date of death Recs
Mohammed Jouied HMP Brixton Pending inquest
Raymond Dowson HMP Deerbolt Pending inquest
Kevin O’Regan HMP Gartree In progress
Jordan Nuttall HMP Gartree In progress
Kerry Stevens HMP Hewell In progress
Tony Collins HMP Rochester Pending inquest
David McVicker HMP Channings Wood Pending inquest
Brian Myers HMP Garth In progress
Ashley Shaw HMP Fosse Way Pending inquest
James Brandon In progress
Cameron Nixon HMP Lewes Pending inquest
Ricky Gray HMP The Mount Pending inquest
Daniel See HMP Wymott In progress
John Thurston HMP Northumberland In progress
Patrick Driver HMP Elmley Pending inquest
Danny Smith HMP Risley In progress
Laura Parry HMP/YOI Styal Pending inquest
Manuel Bello Box Tree Cottage Approved Premises Pending inquest
Dean Kerr HMP Lancaster Farms In progress
Peter Smith HMP Wayland Pending inquest
Kamiel Lawnickzak HMP Maidstone In progress
Dariusz Porokopczyk HMP Hewell In progress
Daniel Martin HMP Hewell In progress
Daniel Girdlestone HMP Holme House In progress
Kenneth Sturgess HMP Rye Hill In progress
Carl Hyde HMP Stocken Pending inquest
Victor Adams HMP Whatton In progress
Wayne Price Canadian Avenue Approved Premises Pending inquest
Pearl Draper HMP Peterborough In progress
Edward Williams HMP The Mount Pending inquest
Roger Weston HMP Channings Wood Pending inquest
John Mansfield HMP Whitemoor In progress
Dean Taylor HMP Stoke Heath Pending inquest
Roger Lemon HMP Five Wells Pending inquest
Anthony Wray HMP Swansea In progress
Khalif Abdi HMP Wormwood Scrubs Pending inquest
Siobhan Cox Hestia Highbury In progress
David Walpole HMP Lowdham Grange Pending inquest
David Loch HMP Lowdham Grange Pending inquest
Jamie Musgrave HMP Peterborough In progress
John Friend HMP Nottingham Pending inquest
Simon Kubalik HMP/YOI Doncaster Pending inquest
James Glendenning HMP Manchester Pending inquest
Andrew Marsh HMP Onley Pending inquest
Nicholas Robinson HMP Oakwood Pending inquest
John Boswell HMP Five Wells In progress
Mohammad Khaliq HMP Hull In progress
James Rutherford HMP Humber In progress
Kevin Lees HMP Sudbury Pending inquest
Peter Lee HMP Stafford In progress