Source · Deaths in custody

PPO Fatal Incident Reports

6,563 incidents 5,801 published 1,698 recommendations 1,676 self-inflicted 3,427 natural causes

Deaths in custody investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. Among the incidents indexed here, 26% are recorded as self-inflicted. Source: PPO.

Incidents

6,563 records

Raymond Billam

HMP/YOI Moorland

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 26 March 2026

David Stingemore

HMP Isle of Wight

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 26 March 2026

Angela Montgomery

HMP/YOI Low Newton

Other non-naturalInvestigation: Report published2 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 9 September 2026

Graeme Park

HMP Northumberland

Investigation: In progress0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 3 September 2026

Tony Chamberlain

HMP Rye Hill

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 8 May 2025

John Phillips

HMP Isle of Wight

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 11 August 2026

Ian Huntley

HMP Frankland

Investigation: In progress0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 26 March 2026

David Hancock

HMP Nottingham

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 25 September 2025

Scott Sansome

HMP Cardiff

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 26 September 2024

Matthew Hayward

HMP Peterborough

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 11 September 2025

Paul Greatbanks

HMP Stocken

Natural causesInvestigation: Report published2 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 2 October 2026

Mark Bates

HMP Lowdham Grange

Investigation: In progress0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 10 April 2025

Adrian Stanton

HMP Featherstone

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 2 April 2026

Christopher Evans

HMP Swansea

Investigation: In progress0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 7 May 2026

Kasey Rolfe

HMP/YOI High Down

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 30 January 2025

William Vickers

HMP Woodhill

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 27 August 2026

Lee Clay

HMP Nottingham

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 11 September 2025

Jason Simmons

HMP Exeter

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 8 May 2025

Harry Edwards

HMP Ranby

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 8 May 2025

Arthur Warwick

HMP Frankland

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 7 January 2026

Jamie Evans

HMP Kirkham

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 4 December 2025

Stephen Dixon-Waterworth

HMP Wealstun

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 18 September 2025

Martin Ryan

HMP Cookham Wood

Investigation: In progress0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 18 September 2025

Glenn Brown

Holbeck House Approved Premises

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 9 October 2025

Uttam Thapa

HMP Belmarsh

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 3 July 2024

Kevin Richardson

HMP Preston

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 18 September 2025

Kyle Watts

Deer Park Approved Premises

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 6 November 2025

David Loch

HMP Lowdham Grange

Other non-naturalInvestigation: Report published0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 21 August 2026

David Wright

HMP Fosse Way

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 19 February 2026

Lee Draper

HMP Swansea

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 3 July 2025

Paul Hoskins

HMP Bedford

Investigation: In progress0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 14 May 2026

Robert Wiseman

Lightfoot House Approved Premises

Investigation: In progress0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 26 March 2026

Stanley Richardson

HMP Garth

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 26 September 2024

Roger Dodds

HMP Whatton

Investigation: In progress0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 27 August 2026

Thomas McMurray

HMP Brixton

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 3 July 2024

Connor Bresland

HMP Exeter

Investigation: In progress0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 26 March 2026

Aaron Metcalf

HMP/YOI Moorland

Investigation: In progress0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 27 February 2026

Edward Williams

HMP The Mount

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 24 April 2025

Daniel Childs

HMP Bristol

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 27 March 2025

Peter Smith

HMP Wayland

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 15 May 2025

Ben Merritt

Investigation: In progress0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 2 October 2025

David Clairmonte

HMP Full Sutton

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 17 October 2024

Warren Manners

HMP/YOI Parc

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 3 July 2024

Sarah Jackson

HMP/YOI Styal

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 2 April 2026

Colin McSweeny

HMP Gartree

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 11 September 2025

Andrew Newton

HMP Leicester

Investigation: In progress0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 20 November 2025

Jordan Harvey

HMP Humber

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 11 September 2025

Dean Boness

Investigation: In progress0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 3 April 2025

Phillip Lawson

HMP Wealstun

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 27 November 2025

Gerald Martin

HMP Wymott

Investigation: Pending inquest outcome0 recommendations indexed

PPO entry published 12 February 2026

Learning & thematic publications

112 cross-establishment publications

Learning Lessons Bulletins (50), thematic reviews (2), consultation responses (11), Policy into Practice (5), annual reports (7) and FOI responses from the Ombudsman's disclosure log (37): the systemic patterns the Ombudsman draws from many investigations.

TitleTypeDateSource
The number of complaints received by the PPO from 1 January 2023 onwards by people held in immigration removal centres and in short-term holding facilities FOI response Jul 2026 PDF
Annual Report 2025 to 2026 Annual report Jul 2026 PDF
To provide information on prisons in the United Kingdom with forty or more self-inflicted deaths in the last ten years, alongside their total FOI response Jul 2026 PDF
The three English prisons with the highest number of self-inflicted deaths between 2016 to 2026 (excluding HMP Leeds), with annual breakdowns FOI response Jul 2026 PDF
The total number of prison deaths that occurred while the individual was located in a segregation unit per calendar from 2021 to 2025 FOI response Jul 2026 PDF
The number of drug-related deaths in prisons in England and Wales from 2010 to 2025 FOI response Jul 2026 PDF
A breakdown of the epilepsy deaths in Welsh prisons from the PPO’s Learning Lessons Bulletin on epilepsy deaths FOI response Jul 2026 PDF
The number of people held in prison, either serving a sentence or on remand, who have died by suicide between 2016 to 2026, broken down by each prison in Yorkshire FOI response Jul 2026 PDF
PPO response to JSC Inquiry into Children and Young Adults in the Secure Estate  Consultation response Jun 2026 PDF
The number of upheld complaints made to the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) about accommodation from 2024 to 2025. FOI response Apr 2026 PDF
Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 21: Segregation Learning Lessons Bulletin Mar 2026 PDF
Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 22: Self-inflicted deaths in reception prisons Learning Lessons Bulletin Mar 2026 PDF
HMP Elmley prisoner deaths by year from 2010 to 2025 FOI response Feb 2026 PDF
Complaints to the PPO about inadequate access to sanitary products since 2020 FOI response Feb 2026 PDF
The number of health-related deaths in prison FOI response Feb 2026 PDF
How many complaints did IPCI receive from prisoners during 2024? FOI response Feb 2026 PDF
How many complaints has the PPO received regarding lost property by HMP Peterborough FOI response Feb 2026 PDF
Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 20: Epilepsy Learning Lessons Bulletin Nov 2025 PDF
Annual Report 2024 to 2025 Annual report Jul 2025 PDF
The number of deaths linked to drug taking in prisons in England and Wales between 2020 to 2024 FOI response Jun 2025 PDF
How many prisoner deaths has the PPO been notified of each year, or started investigating, where there is a suspicion the death was drug-related? FOI response Jun 2025 PDF
The number of prisoners who died where no care plan was in place as found in PPO fatal incident investigations (1 February 2023 to 16 September 2023) FOI response Jun 2025 PDF
Provide a list of deaths by suicide in English prisons since 2022 FOI response Jun 2025 PDF
The PPO response time for all cases in last three and current financial year FOI response Jun 2025 PDF
The number of self-inflicted deaths recorded in prisons from 2019 to 2024 FOI response Jun 2025 PDF
The number of individuals in prisons, young offender institutions and approved premises in England and Wales and/or within 14 days of being released from prison were at the time of their deaths subject to an IPP FOI response Jun 2025 PDF
To confirm when the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman’s (PPO) Yarl’s Wood special investigation report was completed FOI response Jun 2025 PDF
To provide the total number of Prevention of Future Deaths (PFDs or Regulation 28 letters) FOI response Jun 2025 PDF
Policy into Practice: Handling of prisoners’ property Policy into Practice Mar 2025 PDF
Policy into Practice: Handling of property complaints Policy into Practice Mar 2025 PDF