Source · Deaths in custody
PPO Fatal Incident Reports
6,401 incidents
5,674 published
1,165 recommendations
1,633 self-inflicted
3,373 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 22: Self-inflicted deaths in reception prisons | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Mar 2026 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 21: Segregation | 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 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 | |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual at Guys Marsh | HMP Guys Marsh | Other | Published | 24 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Forest Bank | HMP Forest Bank | Natural | Published | 23 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Parc | HMP Parc | Other | Published | 21 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Gartree | HMP Gartree | Self-inflicted | Published | 18 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Winchester | HMP Winchester | Self-inflicted | Published | 18 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Oakwood | HMP Oakwood | Natural | Published | 18 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Lindholme | HMP Lindholme | Self-inflicted | Published | 18 Jun 2018 | — |
| Coombs, Ricky | HMP Lewes | Self-inflicted | Published | 18 Jun 2018 | — |
| Younis, Waqar | HMP Whitemoor | Other | Published | 17 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Lewes | HMP Lewes | Other | Published | 16 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Wakefield | HMP Wakefield | Natural | Published | 15 Jun 2018 | — |
| Peter Howard | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 15 Jun 2018 | 2 |
| Individual at Featherstone | HMP Featherstone | Natural | Published | 15 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Stafford | HMP Stafford | Natural | Published | 14 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Lowdham Grange | HMP Lowdham Grange | Natural | Published | 14 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Littlehey | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 13 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Stonnall Road | Stonnall Road | Natural | Published | 10 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Chorlton | Chorlton | Other | Published | 10 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Guys Marsh | HMP Guys Marsh | Other | Published | 8 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Swaleside | HMP Swaleside | Natural | Published | 8 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Chelmsford | HMP Chelmsford | Other | Published | 8 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Lincoln | HMP Lincoln | Other | Published | 6 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Wealstun | HMP Wealstun | Self-inflicted | Published | 6 Jun 2018 | — |
| Taras Nykolyn | HMP Woodhill | Homicide | Published | 5 Jun 2018 | 7 |
| Individual at Featherstone | HMP Featherstone | Natural | Published | 5 Jun 2018 | — |
| Imogen Mellor | HMP/YOI Styal | Self-inflicted | Published | 4 Jun 2018 | 1 |
| Individual at Oakwood | HMP Oakwood | Natural | Published | 3 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Littlehey | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 3 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Isle of Wight | HMP Isle of Wight | Natural | Published | 2 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Hewell | HMP Hewell | Other | Published | 1 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Highpoint | HMP Highpoint | Natural | Published | 1 Jun 2018 | — |
| Individual at Lewes | HMP Lewes | Natural | Published | 28 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Leeds | HMP Leeds | Natural | Published | 27 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at High Down | HMP High Down | Self-inflicted | Published | 27 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Durham | HMP Durham | Other | Published | 26 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Cardigan House | Cardigan House | Other | Published | 24 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Oakwood | HMP Oakwood | Other | Published | 24 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Doncaster | HMP Doncaster | Natural | Published | 23 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Holme House | HMP Holme House | Natural | Published | 21 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Channings Wood | HMP Channings Wood | Self-inflicted | Published | 19 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Wymott | HMP Wymott | Other | Published | 19 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Long Lartin | HMP Long Lartin | Self-inflicted | Published | 18 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Lewes | HMP Lewes | Natural | Published | 18 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Holme House | HMP Holme House | Other | Published | 17 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Hull | HMP Hull | Natural | Published | 17 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Lancaster Farms | HMP Lancaster Farms | Self-inflicted | Published | 15 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Berwyn | HMP Berwyn | Natural | Published | 14 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Altcourse | HMP Altcourse | Self-inflicted | Published | 14 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Northumberland | HMP Northumberland | Other | Published | 14 May 2018 | — |
| Individual at Full Sutton | HMP Full Sutton | Natural | Published | 12 May 2018 | — |