Source · Deaths in custody
PPO Fatal Incident Reports
6,470 incidents
5,745 published
1,502 recommendations
1,653 self-inflicted
3,404 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 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 inquiry into Rehabilitation and Resettlement | Consultation response | Feb 2025 | |
| PPO response to JHAC Inquiry into Prison Culture | 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 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 | |
| Fatal Incident Investigations Learning Lessons Bulletin Issue 17: Post-release death investigations | Learning Lessons Bulletin | Jan 2023 | |
| Investigating deaths after release from prison – a pilot evaluation | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arron Hamer | HMP Buckley Hall | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 4 |
| Steven Ison | Bowling Green Approved Premises | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 3 |
| Peter Magloire | HMP Wormwood Scrubs | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 3 |
| Waleed Ali | HMP Wandsworth | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 1 |
| Simon Follos | HMP Stoke Heath | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 3 |
| Georgie Smith | HMP Bristol | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 3 |
| Daniel Brown | HMP/YOI High Down | Natural | Published | — | 3 |
| Wayne Domeney | HMP Isle of Wight | Natural | Published | — | 1 |
| Hallum Elgood | HMP Norwich | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 2 |
| Thomas Ruggiero | HMP Swaleside | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 5 |
| Aaron Taylor | HMP Garth | Natural | Published | — | 1 |
| Jake O’Brien | HMP Forest Bank | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 12 |
| Patryk Jalocha | HMP Manchester | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 2 |
| Alexander Rodgers | HMP Wymott | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 2 |
| Paul Smyth | HMP Altcourse | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 4 |
| Peter Campbell | HMP Pentonville | Other | Published | — | 2 |
| Mesut Olgun | HMP Hewell | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 1 |
| Simon Dunn | HMP Garth | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 4 |
| Nathan Byrnes | HMP Liverpool | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 2 |
| Steve McBride | HMP Warren Hill | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 1 |
| Andrew Neal | HMP Wayland | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 5 |
| Nezam Ghalate | HMP Manchester | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 3 |
| Ben Foley | HMP Exeter | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 1 |
| Luke Ashcroft | HMP Lincoln | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 3 |
| Imran Khan | HMP Isle of Wight | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 10 |
| Frazer Williams | HMP Guys Marsh | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 9 |
| Rickie Poon | HMP Pentonville | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 2 |
| Taylor Atkinson | HMP/YOI Eastwood Park | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 6 |
| Michael Marsh | HMP Exeter | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 6 |
| Richard Glenn | HMP Lincoln | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 1 |
| Mark Bradley | HMP Stafford | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 2 |
| Paul Coughlin | HMP Bristol | Self-inflicted | Published | — | 1 |
| Michael Tate | HMP Gartree | Natural | Published | 6 Feb 2025 | 2 |
| Christopher Walton | HMP Ranby | Natural | Published | 6 Feb 2025 | 7 |
| Nickolas Fretwell | HMP Elmley | Self-inflicted | Published | 16 Oct 2024 | 1 |
| Stuart Greener | HMP Nottingham | Natural | Published | 16 Oct 2024 | 1 |
| Harold Day | HMP Five Wells | Natural | Published | 25 Sep 2024 | 2 |
| Nigel Feckey | HMP Fosse Way | Self-inflicted | Published | 23 Sep 2024 | 3 |
| Phillip Sheridan | HMP Full Sutton | Natural | Published | 21 Jul 2024 | 2 |
| Craig Topham | HMP Nottingham | Other | Published | 28 Jun 2024 | 1 |
| Scott Howley | HMP Wealstun | Self-inflicted | Published | 6 Mar 2024 | 1 |
| Ashley Ferrie | HMP Fosse Way | Self-inflicted | Published | 13 Feb 2024 | 3 |
| Kyle Tyler | HMP/YOI High Down | Other | Published | 8 Feb 2024 | 1 |
| Sean Higgins | HMP Rochester | Self-inflicted | Published | 7 Feb 2024 | 6 |
| Kevin Kane | HMP Grendon | Self-inflicted | Published | 29 Jan 2024 | 3 |
| Patryk Gladysz | HMP Wandsworth | Self-inflicted | Published | 19 Jan 2024 | 3 |
| Nathan Shepherd | Ascot House Approved Premises | Self-inflicted | Published | 16 Jan 2024 | 3 |
| Melvin Grant | HMP Bedford | Self-inflicted | Published | 21 Nov 2023 | 3 |
| Simon Faherty | HMP Elmley | Self-inflicted | Published | 20 Nov 2023 | 4 |
| Paul Roberts | HMP Preston | Self-inflicted | Published | 14 Nov 2023 | 1 |
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