Source · Deaths in custody
PPO Fatal Incident Reports
6,395 incidents
5,660 published
1,165 recommendations
1,632 self-inflicted
3,362 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 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 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 2023-24 | Annual report | Jul 2024 | |
| Annual report 2022-23 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Benson | HMP Leeds | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Billy Payne | HMP Belmarsh | In progress | — | — | |
| Andrew Neal | HMP Wayland | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| John Hyde | HMP/YOI Parc | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| David Roadknight | HMP Oakwood | In progress | — | — | |
| Peter Wrigglesworth | HMP Full Sutton | Natural | Published | — | — |
| Ryan Martin | HMP Winchester | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Stephen Ansbro | HMP Frankland | In progress | — | — | |
| Anthony Copeland | HMP Forest Bank | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Colin Storey | HMP Northumberland | Self-inflicted | Published | — | — |
| Adam Goulding | Albion Street Approved Premises | In progress | — | — | |
| Daniel Serban | HMP Lewes | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Derrion Adams | HMP Birmingham | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Gareth Jones | HMP Peterborough | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Stephen Strutt | HMP Dovegate | In progress | — | — | |
| Oliver Mulangala | HMP/YOI High Down | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Perrie Melladay | HMP Lowdham Grange | In progress | — | — | |
| Peter Magloire | HMP Wormwood Scrubs | Self-inflicted | Published | — | — |
| Shamraze Hussain | HMP/YOI Doncaster | In progress | — | — | |
| Denis Passingham | HMP Highpoint | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Jason Stevens | HMP Kirkham | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Michael Maharaj | HMP Brixton | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Richard Hunt | HMP Stocken | In progress | — | — | |
| Peter Campbell | HMP Pentonville | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Patryk Skupinski | HMP Gartree | Other | Published | — | — |
| Albert Walkom | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | — | — |
| Samuel Ross | HMP Long Lartin | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| David Algie | HMP Wymott | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Stephen Bingley | HMP Rye Hill | Natural | Published | 11 Jul 2025 | — |
| Thomas Reay | HMP Holme House | Natural | Published | 9 Jul 2025 | — |
| Jaheim Grant | Abingdon Road Approved Premises | Other | Published | 6 Jul 2025 | — |
| John Dawes | HMP Nottingham | Natural | Published | 5 Jul 2025 | — |
| Trevor Brazier | HMP Cookham Wood | Natural | Published | 17 Jun 2025 | — |
| David Kelly | HMP Whatton | Natural | Published | 9 Jun 2025 | — |
| Mohammed Fethaullah | HMP/YOI High Down | Natural | Published | 13 May 2025 | 1 |
| John Farrell | HMP Wormwood Scrubs | Natural | Published | 5 May 2025 | — |
| Brian Lomas | HMP Birmingham | Natural | Published | 2 May 2025 | 1 |
| Nigel Malt | HMP Gartree | Natural | Published | 29 Apr 2025 | 1 |
| Ryan McArthur | HMP Hull | Other | Published | 26 Apr 2025 | — |
| George Stephenson | HMP Full Sutton | Natural | Published | 20 Apr 2025 | — |
| Sidney Matthews | HMP The Verne | Natural | Published | 13 Apr 2025 | — |
| Ryan Kenny | HMP Altcourse | Unascertained | Published | 9 Apr 2025 | — |
| Sydney Mimer | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 26 Mar 2025 | — |
| Dennis Coe | HMP/YOI Moorland | Natural | Published | 22 Mar 2025 | — |
| Paul Ward | HMP Fosse Way | Natural | Published | 22 Mar 2025 | — |
| Peter Long | HMP Oakwood | Natural | Published | 10 Mar 2025 | 1 |
| Roy Anderson | HMP Ranby | Natural | Published | 10 Mar 2025 | 2 |
| David Stead | Box Tree Cottage Approved Premises | Other | Published | 9 Mar 2025 | — |
| Ernest Jones | HMP/YOI Doncaster | Natural | Published | 8 Mar 2025 | — |
| Glen Candler | HMP Wakefield | Natural | Published | 6 Mar 2025 | 1 |