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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birdie, Michael | HMP Peterborough | Natural | Published | 10 Nov 2022 | — |
| Ahmed Alshbli | HMP Durham | Self-inflicted | Published | 10 Nov 2022 | 2 |
| Jason Kennedy | HMP/YOI High Down | Other | Published | 9 Nov 2022 | 4 |
| Holden, George | HMP Doncaster | Natural | Published | 7 Nov 2022 | — |
| Russell Irvine | HMP Durham | Self-inflicted | Published | 7 Nov 2022 | 5 |
| Ewan Homer | HMP Stafford | Natural | Published | 6 Nov 2022 | 3 |
| Roach, Reginald | Ty Newydd | Self-inflicted | Published | 5 Nov 2022 | — |
| Edward Owens | HMP Dartmoor | Natural | Published | 4 Nov 2022 | — |
| Ewing, Robert | HMP Long Lartin | Natural | Published | 4 Nov 2022 | — |
| Thompson, Adam | HMP Northumberland | Self-inflicted | Published | 4 Nov 2022 | — |
| Harmon, Liam | Forest Bank Post-release | Other | Published | 3 Nov 2022 | — |
| Aaron Harte | HMP Peterborough | Other | Published | 3 Nov 2022 | 4 |
| Meason, Bernard | HMP Ashfield | Natural | Published | 2 Nov 2022 | — |
| Bone, Frank | HMP Whatton | Natural | Published | 2 Nov 2022 | — |
| Shaine Tester | HMP Gartree | Self-inflicted | Published | 1 Nov 2022 | 2 |
| Colin Lovett | HMP The Verne | Self-inflicted | Published | 29 Oct 2022 | 4 |
| Smith, Ryan | Winchester Post-release | Other | Published | 27 Oct 2022 | — |
| Stephen Sleaford | HMP Gartree | Self-inflicted | Published | 27 Oct 2022 | — |
| Neil Ballard | HMP Risley | Self-inflicted | Published | 26 Oct 2022 | — |
| Tyrone Richards | HMP Manchester | Self-inflicted | Published | 25 Oct 2022 | 1 |
| Lyons, Paul | HMP Wakefield | Natural | Published | 25 Oct 2022 | — |
| Pearson, John | HMP Holme House | Natural | Published | 24 Oct 2022 | — |
| Individual at Nottingham | HMP Nottingham | Natural | Published | 23 Oct 2022 | — |
| Barraclough, Robert | Ranby Post-release | Other | Published | 22 Oct 2022 | — |
| Alan Hutchinson | HMP Isle of Wight | Natural | Published | 21 Oct 2022 | — |
| Anderson Barker | HMP Peterborough | Natural | Published | 21 Oct 2022 | 2 |
| Lee Burnard | HMP Guys Marsh | Other | Published | 20 Oct 2022 | — |
| Taylor, Louis | Parc Post-release | Natural | Published | 18 Oct 2022 | — |
| Walker, Edwin | HMP Ashfield | Natural | Published | 18 Oct 2022 | — |
| Individual at Durham Post-release | Durham Post-release | Natural | Published | 15 Oct 2022 | — |
| Lees, Jamie | HMP Birmingham | Natural | Published | 13 Oct 2022 | — |
| Kelly, Stephen | HMP Whatton | Natural | Published | 9 Oct 2022 | — |
| Knight, Christopher | Portland Post-release | Other | Published | 7 Oct 2022 | — |
| Doab, Mark | St Leonards | Other | Published | 5 Oct 2022 | — |
| Walsh, Christopher | Parc Post-release | Natural | Published | 4 Oct 2022 | — |
| Ben Skivington | HMP Hull | Other | Published | 2 Oct 2022 | — |
| Cameron, Kevin | HMP Lindholme | Natural | Published | 1 Oct 2022 | — |
| Petre, Catalin | Nottingham Post-release | Natural | Published | 1 Oct 2022 | — |
| Individual at Norwich | HMP Norwich | Natural | Published | 30 Sep 2022 | — |
| Kevin McDonnel | HMP Nottingham | Self-inflicted | Published | 29 Sep 2022 | 2 |
| Individual at Wakefield | HMP Wakefield | Natural | Published | 27 Sep 2022 | — |
| Sawyer, Graham | HMP Bure | Natural | Published | 26 Sep 2022 | — |
| Individual at Stoke Heath | HMP Stoke Heath | Natural | Published | 26 Sep 2022 | — |
| Dale Samm | HMP The Mount | Self-inflicted | Published | 25 Sep 2022 | 2 |
| John Warry | HMP Stafford | Natural | Published | 25 Sep 2022 | 10 |
| Lewis Skelton | HMP Durham | Other | Published | 23 Sep 2022 | — |
| Individual at Risley Post-release | Risley Post-release | Natural | Published | 23 Sep 2022 | — |
| Individual at Whatton | HMP Whatton | Natural | Published | 21 Sep 2022 | — |
| Terrance Dass | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 20 Sep 2022 | 1 |
| Mitchell, Raymond | HMP Exeter | Natural | Published | 19 Sep 2022 | — |