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.
Top recommendation themes
Learning & thematic publications
| Title | Type | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Report 2025 to 2026 | Annual report | Jul 2026 | |
| 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 21: Segregation | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Mar 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 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 inquiry into Rehabilitation and Resettlement | Consultation response | Feb 2025 | |
| PPO response to JHAC Inquiry into Prison Culture | Consultation response | Feb 2025 | |
| PPO response to JSC Tackling Drugs in Prison Inquiry | 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 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 17: Post-release death investigations | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Jan 2023 | |
| Investigating deaths after release from prison – a pilot evaluation | 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 |
Incidents
| Name | Establishment | Cause | Status | Date of death | Recs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akiel Flemming | HMP Wakefield | In progress | — | — | |
| David Walpole | HMP Lowdham Grange | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Carl Mason | HMP Liverpool | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Meekumar Issory | HMP Rochester | In progress | — | — | |
| John Rytting | HMP Hull | In progress | — | — | |
| John Casey | HMP Birmingham | In progress | — | — | |
| Kevin Nolan | HMP Coldingley | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Thomas Haigh | HMP Manchester | In progress | — | — | |
| David Baxendale | HMP Frankland | In progress | — | — | |
| John Bain | HMP The Mount | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Donovan Kenlock | HMP Hewell | In progress | — | — | |
| Lloyd Ramsbottom | HMP Stoke Heath | In progress | — | — | |
| Kelly Day | HMP Bronzefield | In progress | — | — | |
| Joe Lynch | HMP Leeds | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Morgan Sullivan | HMP Wandsworth | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Craig Gordon | HMP Wandsworth | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| McCauley Doran | HMP Brinsford | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Lee Gowton | HMP Bristol | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Jacob Bean | HMP Rochester | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Jason Walker | HMP Lincoln | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Andrew Martin | HMP Elmley | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Scott Sansome | HMP Cardiff | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| James Nanson | HMP Northumberland | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| David Kettle | HMP Erlestoke | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Kamal Uddin | HMP Wandsworth | In progress | — | — | |
| Simon Webber | HMP/YOI Portland | In progress | — | — | |
| David Glass | HMP Altcourse | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Trevor Wiggan | HMP Garth | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Robbie Northridge | HMP Lowdham Grange | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Lee Peacock | HMP Long Lartin | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Colin Clapham | HMP Littlehey | In progress | — | — | |
| Joshua McRae | HMP Long Lartin | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Wayne Hay | HMP/YOI Parc | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Lee Nation | HMP Swansea | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Ivor Manton | HMP Chelmsford | In progress | — | — | |
| Jason Maynard | HMP Swansea | Other | Published | — | — |
| David Stingemore | HMP Isle of Wight | In progress | — | — | |
| Robert Harvey | HMP Durham | In progress | — | — | |
| Raymond Billam | HMP/YOI Moorland | In progress | — | — | |
| Darryl Rees | HMP Swansea | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Lee Sentance | HMP Lincoln | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Francis Conlin | HMP/YOI Doncaster | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| James Smyth | HMP Gartree | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Michael Jones | HMP Liverpool | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Mark Wright | HMP Wealstun | In progress | — | — | |
| Nicholas Page | HMP/YOI Parc | In progress | — | — | |
| Pawel Kowalski | HMP Winchester | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Andrew Thompson | HMP/YOI Doncaster | Natural | Published | — | — |
| Colleen Madden | HMP Bronzefield | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Raymond Sowter | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | — | — |