Source · Deaths in custody
PPO Fatal Incident Reports
6,488 incidents
5,759 published
1,642 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 property complaints | Policy into Practice | Mar 2025 | |
| Policy into Practice: Handling of prisoners’ property | Policy into Practice | Mar 2025 | |
| Complaints Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 11: Property complaints | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Mar 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 | |
| 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 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 |
Incidents
| Name | Establishment | Cause | Status | Date of death | Recs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual at Doncaster | HMP Doncaster | Natural | Published | 1 Dec 2016 | — |
| Individual at Colnbrook | IRC Colnbrook | Homicide | Published | 1 Dec 2016 | — |
| Individual at Foston Hall | HMP Foston Hall | Self-inflicted | Published | 29 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Leeds | HMP Leeds | Natural | Published | 28 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Bristol | HMP Bristol | Self-inflicted | Published | 28 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Elmley | HMP Elmley | Natural | Published | 27 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Elmley | HMP Elmley | Natural | Published | 25 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Littlehey | HMP Littlehey | Natural | Published | 21 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Leicester | HMP Leicester | Self-inflicted | Published | 21 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Pentonville | HMP Pentonville | Self-inflicted | Published | 21 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Lowdham Grange | HMP Lowdham Grange | Self-inflicted | Published | 20 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Thameside | HMP Thameside | Natural | Published | 20 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Wormwood Scrubs | HMP Wormwood Scrubs | Natural | Published | 18 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Holme House | HMP Holme House | Self-inflicted | Published | 18 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Hindley | HMP Hindley | Natural | Published | 17 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Rye Hill | HMP Rye Hill | Natural | Published | 16 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at North Sea Camp | HMP North Sea Camp | Natural | Published | 14 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Isle of Wight | HMP Isle of Wight | Natural | Published | 14 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Wandsworth | HMP Wandsworth | Self-inflicted | Published | 14 Nov 2016 | — |
| Adams, Yasmin | HMP Foston Hall | Self-inflicted | Published | 13 Nov 2016 | 6 |
| Individual at Birmingham | HMP Birmingham | Natural | Published | 11 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Drake Hall | HMP Drake Hall | Self-inflicted | Published | 11 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Exeter | HMP Exeter | Natural | Published | 10 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Lewes | HMP Lewes | Natural | Published | 9 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Exeter | HMP Exeter | Natural | Published | 7 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Birmingham | HMP Birmingham | Natural | Published | 7 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Dartmoor | HMP Dartmoor | Natural | Published | 6 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Garth | HMP Garth | Other | Published | 5 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Gartree | HMP Gartree | Self-inflicted | Published | 4 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Northumberland | HMP Northumberland | Self-inflicted | Published | 4 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Bristol | HMP Bristol | Self-inflicted | Published | 3 Nov 2016 | — |
| Individual at Howard House | Howard House | Other | Published | 31 Oct 2016 | — |
| Individual at Cardiff | HMP Cardiff | Self-inflicted | Published | 31 Oct 2016 | — |
| Individual at Thameside | HMP Thameside | Natural | Published | 31 Oct 2016 | — |
| Individual at Manchester | HMP Manchester | Natural | Published | 30 Oct 2016 | — |
| Individual at Durham | HMP Durham | Self-inflicted | Published | 27 Oct 2016 | — |
| Individual at Rye Hill | HMP Rye Hill | Natural | Published | 25 Oct 2016 | — |
| Individual at Wymott | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | 24 Oct 2016 | — |
| Individual at Southwood | Southwood | Homicide | Published | 24 Oct 2016 | — |
| Celeste Craig | HMP/YOI Styal | Self-inflicted | Published | 23 Oct 2016 | 5 |
| Individual at Liverpool | HMP Liverpool | Self-inflicted | Published | 23 Oct 2016 | — |
| Individual at Full Sutton | HMP Full Sutton | Natural | Published | 20 Oct 2016 | — |
| Individual at Dartmoor | HMP Dartmoor | Natural | Published | 19 Oct 2016 | — |
| Individual at Manchester | HMP Manchester | Self-inflicted | Published | 19 Oct 2016 | — |
| Individual at Manchester | HMP Manchester | Natural | Published | 18 Oct 2016 | — |
| Individual at Pentonville | HMP Pentonville | Homicide | Published | 18 Oct 2016 | — |
| Individual at Wymott | HMP Wymott | Natural | Published | 17 Oct 2016 | — |
| Individual at Dartmoor | HMP Dartmoor | Natural | Published | 16 Oct 2016 | — |
| Individual at Hull | HMP Hull | Self-inflicted | Published | 16 Oct 2016 | — |
| Individual at Stocken | HMP Stocken | Natural | Published | 14 Oct 2016 | — |