Source · Deaths in custody
PPO Fatal Incident Reports
6,488 incidents
5,759 published
1,576 recommendations
1,658 self-inflicted
3,411 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dean Sheppard | HMP Stoke Heath | Natural | Published | 25 Dec 2023 | — |
| Dean Holland | HMP Featherstone | Natural | Published | 22 Dec 2023 | — |
| Scott Walker | HMP Full Sutton | Natural | Published | 22 Dec 2023 | 1 |
| 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 |
| Patrick Mugford | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 17 Dec 2023 | — |
| John Rigby | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | 17 Dec 2023 | 4 |
| 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 | — |
| Stephen Hopkins | HMP Cardiff | Natural | Published | 2 Dec 2023 | — |
| Jason Cutts | HMP Norwich | Natural | Published | 30 Nov 2023 | — |
| Aaron Gornall | HMP Holme House | Other | Published | 30 Nov 2023 | — |
| Hughie Hendry | HMP/YOI Doncaster | Other | Published | 25 Nov 2023 | — |
| Martin Collins | HMP Highpoint | Self-inflicted | Published | 25 Nov 2023 | 1 |
| Matthew Osborne | HMP Lowdham Grange | Self-inflicted | Published | 25 Nov 2023 | 1 |
| Farokh Sahab | HMP Wormwood Scrubs | Natural | Published | 24 Nov 2023 | — |
| John Evans | HMP Stocken | Natural | Published | 24 Nov 2023 | — |
| Ellis Wood | HMP Lincoln | Other | Published | 24 Nov 2023 | 2 |
| Sidney Hughes | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | 24 Nov 2023 | 2 |
| Melvin Grant | HMP Bedford | Self-inflicted | Published | 21 Nov 2023 | 3 |
| Jason Barnes | HMP Elmley | Natural | Published | 21 Nov 2023 | — |
| David Budd | HMP Hollesley Bay | Natural | Published | 21 Nov 2023 | — |
| Simon Faherty | HMP Elmley | Self-inflicted | Published | 20 Nov 2023 | 4 |
| Alfred Dosku | Brook House Immigration Removal Centre | Self-inflicted | Published | 17 Nov 2023 | — |
| Solomon Bamidele | HMP Pentonville | Natural | Published | 16 Nov 2023 | 2 |
| Paul Roberts | HMP Preston | Self-inflicted | Published | 14 Nov 2023 | 1 |
| Terence Lobb | HMP Oakwood | Natural | Published | 10 Nov 2023 | — |
| Wolten, Alan | HMP Liverpool | Natural | Published | 10 Nov 2023 | 2 |
| Graham Williams | HMP Prescoed | Natural | Published | 10 Nov 2023 | — |
| Damian Bugno-Swierz | HMP Wandsworth | Self-inflicted | Published | 7 Nov 2023 | — |
| Ian Bains | Ozanam House Approved Premises | Self-inflicted | Published | 6 Nov 2023 | — |
| Haigh, Glen | HMP Stafford | Natural | Published | 3 Nov 2023 | — |
| Alan Knight | HMP Lowdham Grange | Natural | Published | 2 Nov 2023 | — |
| Josh Tarrant | HMP Elmley | Other | Published | 1 Nov 2023 | 2 |
| Christopher Baptiste | HMP Swaleside | Other | Published | 31 Oct 2023 | 4 |
| Thomas McMahon | HMP Nottingham | Other | Published | 31 Oct 2023 | 1 |
| Michael Waters | HMP Dartmoor | Natural | Published | 29 Oct 2023 | — |
| Jonathan Leask | HMP Winchester | Self-inflicted | Published | 28 Oct 2023 | — |
| Frederick Vickery | HMP Dartmoor | Natural | Published | 27 Oct 2023 | — |
| Davey Price | HMP Forest Bank | Self-inflicted | Published | 27 Oct 2023 | 3 |
| Coleman, Kevin | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | 25 Oct 2023 | — |