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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kate Allen | HMP/YOI Low Newton | In progress | — | — | |
| Jeffrey Long | HMP/YOI Moorland | In progress | — | — | |
| John Phillips | HMP Isle of Wight | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Arthur Warwick | HMP Frankland | In progress | — | — | |
| Glenn Brown | Holbeck House Approved Premises | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Darren Thomas | HMP/YOI Parc | In progress | — | — | |
| Uttam Thapa | HMP Belmarsh | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Gerald Martin | HMP Wymott | In progress | — | — | |
| Adrian O’Reilly | HMP Littlehey | In progress | — | — | |
| Toby Smith | HMP Onley | In progress | — | — | |
| Ben Merritt | In progress | — | — | ||
| Wayne Hay | HMP/YOI Parc | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Thomas McMurray | HMP Brixton | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Warren Manners | HMP/YOI Parc | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| David Brooks | HMP Rye Hill | In progress | — | — | |
| Bobby Kennedy | Penrose Drive Approved Premises | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| John Saterlay | HMP Fosse Way | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Phillip Lawson | HMP Wealstun | In progress | — | — | |
| Radoslaw Czubinski | HMP Hull | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Leslie Fry | HMP Hewell | In progress | — | — | |
| Norman Hitchings | HMP Lowdham Grange | In progress | — | — | |
| Lee Wilson | HMP Leeds | In progress | — | — | |
| Klayton Smith | HMP Lowdham Grange | In progress | — | — | |
| Rebecca McBrien | HMP/YOI New Hall | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Gordon Suckley | HMP Channings Wood | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Stephen Ansbro | HMP Frankland | In progress | — | — | |
| Adam Goulding | Albion Street Approved Premises | In progress | — | — | |
| Alan Byrne | HMP Liverpool | In progress | — | — | |
| Shamraze Hussain | HMP/YOI Doncaster | In progress | — | — | |
| Richard Hunt | HMP Stocken | In progress | — | — | |
| Sam French | HMP Cardiff | In progress | — | — | |
| Peter Cooper | HMP Fosse Way | In progress | — | — | |
| Stephen Hughes | HMP Northumberland | In progress | — | — | |
| George Hall | HMP Littlehey | In progress | — | — | |
| William Prince | HMP Preston | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Geoffrey Bradley | HMP Elmley | In progress | — | — | |
| Filmon Andmichaen | HMP Full Sutton | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Liam Watson-Hunter | HMP Holme House | In progress | — | — | |
| Dirk Weissenbruch | HMP Channings Wood | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Darren Irving | HMP Highpoint | In progress | — | — | |
| Brian David | HMP Channings Wood | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Kyle Bevan | HMP Wakefield | In progress | — | — | |
| Maurice Mcentire | HMP Swaleside | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Norman Heaton | HMP Full Sutton | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Stewart Bird | HMP Isle of Wight | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Ace Wilson | HMP Leeds | In progress | — | — | |
| Mark Jones | HMP Oakwood | In progress | — | — | |
| Charlie Leat | HMP Exeter | In progress | — | — | |
| Shaun Grieves | HMP Garth | Pending inquest | — | — | |
| Sean Sewell | HMP Thameside | In progress | — | — |