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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Woolley | HMP Wayland | Natural | Published | 5 Feb 2024 | — |
| Tony Williams | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 4 Feb 2024 | — |
| Brian Field | HMP Full Sutton | Natural | Published | 4 Feb 2024 | 1 |
| John Thirling | HMP/YOI Moorland | Natural | Published | 3 Feb 2024 | — |
| Paul Mallin | HMP/YOI High Down | Natural | Published | 3 Feb 2024 | — |
| Henry Bangs | HMP Frankland | Natural | Published | 2 Feb 2024 | 2 |
| Stuart Berry | HMP Chelmsford | Self-inflicted | Published | 1 Feb 2024 | 3 |
| John Leadbitter | HMP Hull | Natural | Published | 31 Jan 2024 | 3 |
| Kevan Mulligan | HMP Forest Bank | Natural | Published | 29 Jan 2024 | — |
| Kevin Kane | HMP Grendon | Self-inflicted | Published | 29 Jan 2024 | 3 |
| James Green | Elm Bank Approved Premises | Self-inflicted | Published | 27 Jan 2024 | — |
| Colin Evans | HMP Full Sutton | Natural | Published | 26 Jan 2024 | — |
| Brian Nichols | HMP Whatton | Natural | Published | 23 Jan 2024 | — |
| Colin Cambray | HMP Haverigg | Natural | Published | 19 Jan 2024 | — |
| Daniel Fielding | HMP Liverpool | Self-inflicted | Published | 19 Jan 2024 | 6 |
| Patryk Gladysz | HMP Wandsworth | Self-inflicted | Published | 19 Jan 2024 | 3 |
| Gerard Browne | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | 19 Jan 2024 | 3 |
| George Rose | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | 18 Jan 2024 | — |
| Kevin Noel | HMP Leyhill | Natural | Published | 18 Jan 2024 | 2 |
| Nathan Shepherd | Ascot House Approved Premises | Self-inflicted | Published | 16 Jan 2024 | 3 |
| Leanne Lytollis | HMP/YOI New Hall | Other | Published | 13 Jan 2024 | — |
| Lawrence Johnson | HMP Frankland | Natural | Published | 13 Jan 2024 | 3 |
| Kevin Giles | HMP Hollesley Bay | Natural | Published | 13 Jan 2024 | 1 |
| Frederick Williams | HMP The Verne | Natural | Published | 12 Jan 2024 | 2 |
| Gerald Raffell | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 9 Jan 2024 | — |
| Kim Chapman | HMP Send | Natural | Published | 6 Jan 2024 | 1 |
| Darren Boamah | HMP Wormwood Scrubs | Natural | Published | 3 Jan 2024 | 2 |
| Clive Manning | HMP Swaleside | Natural | Published | 31 Dec 2023 | — |
| John Kelk | HMP Wakefield | Natural | Published | 30 Dec 2023 | 2 |
| David Howarth | HMP Full Sutton | Natural | Published | 30 Dec 2023 | 1 |
| Robert Astley | HMP Norwich | Natural | Published | 27 Dec 2023 | — |
| Azhar Hussain | HMP Bedford | Natural | Published | 27 Dec 2023 | 1 |
| Dean Sheppard | HMP Stoke Heath | Natural | Published | 25 Dec 2023 | — |
| Scott Walker | HMP Full Sutton | Natural | Published | 22 Dec 2023 | 1 |
| Dean Holland | HMP Featherstone | Natural | Published | 22 Dec 2023 | — |
| Greg Coleman | HMP Wealstun | Other | Published | 21 Dec 2023 | — |
| John Foreman | HMP/YOI Doncaster | Natural | Published | 20 Dec 2023 | — |
| Isa Sule | HMP/YOI High Down | Self-inflicted | Published | 19 Dec 2023 | 1 |
| Paul Pesticcio | HMP/YOI Parc | Natural | Published | 19 Dec 2023 | 1 |
| John Rigby | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | 17 Dec 2023 | 4 |
| Patrick Mugford | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 17 Dec 2023 | — |
| Jamie Funnell | HMP Lewes | Other | Published | 16 Dec 2023 | 3 |
| John Robinson | HMP Lancaster Farms | Other | Published | 14 Dec 2023 | — |
| Frederick Stallwood | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 10 Dec 2023 | — |
| Amos Ndemo | HMP Norwich | Self-inflicted | Published | 10 Dec 2023 | — |
| Derek Holmes | HMP Birmingham | Natural | Published | 8 Dec 2023 | — |
| Jack Edwards | Trent House Approved Premises | Homicide | Published | 8 Dec 2023 | — |
| Alan Giles | HMP Wayland | Other | Published | 7 Dec 2023 | — |
| Lance Winkle | Elm Bank Approved Premises | Self-inflicted | Published | 5 Dec 2023 | — |
| Jason McDonagh | HMP Five Wells | Natural | Published | 4 Dec 2023 | — |