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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Kenyon | HMP Altcourse | Self-inflicted | Published | 24 Jun 2023 | 2 |
| John Devers | HMP Oakwood | Natural | Published | 21 Jun 2023 | 1 |
| Harvey, Peter | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | 20 Jun 2023 | — |
| Harmer, Marc | HMP Forest Bank | Natural | Published | 15 Jun 2023 | — |
| Filmon Brhane | HMP Maidstone | Self-inflicted | Published | 12 Jun 2023 | 8 |
| Howard Davies | HMP/YOI Parc | Natural | Published | 10 Jun 2023 | — |
| Amy Cross | HMP/YOI Eastwood Park | Other | Published | 10 Jun 2023 | 2 |
| Damon Hardman | HMP Lewes | Self-inflicted | Published | 8 Jun 2023 | 3 |
| Tyrone Bwerinofa | HMP Wayland | Other | Published | 8 Jun 2023 | 1 |
| Mark Powell | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | 4 Jun 2023 | — |
| Keegan, Mark | Lightfoot House | Natural | Published | 1 Jun 2023 | — |
| Seaman, Paul | HMP Wakefield | Natural | Published | 29 May 2023 | — |
| George Bull | HMP Stafford | Other | Published | 29 May 2023 | — |
| John Williams | HMP Isle of Wight | Natural | Published | 29 May 2023 | — |
| Donald McKean | HMP Leeds | Natural | Published | 28 May 2023 | — |
| George Emmett | HMP Aylesbury | Other | Published | 25 May 2023 | — |
| Kirsten Hocking | HMP/YOI Downview | Other | Published | 24 May 2023 | 2 |
| Stephen Currington | HMP/YOI High Down | Natural | Published | 24 May 2023 | — |
| Stacey, Neal | Lewes Post-release | Other | Published | 20 May 2023 | — |
| Richard Campbell | HMP Channings Wood | Natural | Published | 19 May 2023 | — |
| Michael Hillitt | HMP/YOI Parc | Natural | Published | 18 May 2023 | — |
| Valentine, Anthony | HMP Wakefield | Natural | Published | 16 May 2023 | — |
| Darren Stokes | HMP Cardiff | Other | Published | 16 May 2023 | — |
| Alan Haldane | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 16 May 2023 | — |
| Mohammed Azizi | HMP Norwich | Natural | Published | 15 May 2023 | — |
| Satish Kumar | HMP Oakwood | Natural | Published | 15 May 2023 | 1 |
| Glody Muyeki | HMP Aylesbury | Other | Published | 15 May 2023 | 2 |
| Higgins, Shaun | Birmingham Post-release | Other | Published | 13 May 2023 | — |
| Gale, Alan | HMP Stafford | Natural | Published | 12 May 2023 | — |
| Michael Kinnear | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | 11 May 2023 | 1 |
| Mehdi Ghorbani | HMP Leeds | Self-inflicted | Published | 11 May 2023 | — |
| Selby Wardle | HMP Hull | Natural | Published | 8 May 2023 | — |
| Connor, Terrence | HMP Preston | Natural | Published | 6 May 2023 | — |
| Mark Smith | HMP Risley | Self-inflicted | Published | 3 May 2023 | — |
| Simon Lightfoot | HMP Dovegate | Self-inflicted | Published | 29 Apr 2023 | 1 |
| Steven Blake | HMP Haverigg | Self-inflicted | Published | 28 Apr 2023 | 2 |
| Joseph Louis | HMP Wormwood Scrubs | Natural | Published | 26 Apr 2023 | 4 |
| Neil Yates | HMP Altcourse | Other | Published | 25 Apr 2023 | — |
| Lee Gorst | HMP Manchester | Self-inflicted | Published | 25 Apr 2023 | 1 |
| Yates, Craig | Wealstun Post-release | Other | Published | 22 Apr 2023 | — |
| William McKee | HMP Channings Wood | Natural | Published | 22 Apr 2023 | 1 |
| Mark Ziemiecki | HMP Leeds | Self-inflicted | Published | 22 Apr 2023 | — |
| Kevin Smith | HMP/YOI Doncaster | Self-inflicted | Published | 22 Apr 2023 | 2 |
| Nathan Walters | HMP Lancaster Farms | Natural | Published | 22 Apr 2023 | 1 |
| Kenneth Light | HMP Stafford | Natural | Published | 20 Apr 2023 | — |
| Paul Bryant | HMP Stocken | Self-inflicted | Published | 19 Apr 2023 | — |
| Lee Gresham | HMP Hull | Other | Published | 17 Apr 2023 | — |
| Martin, Edward | HMP Moorland Closed | Natural | Published | 14 Apr 2023 | — |
| Mockford, Kenneth | HMP Bure | Natural | Published | 14 Apr 2023 | — |
| Dean Graham | HMP Northumberland | Natural | Published | 11 Apr 2023 | 3 |