Anthony Barron

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Independent investigation into
the death of Mr Anthony Barron,
a prisoner at HMP Ashfield,
on 18 July 2025
A report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
Third Floor, 10 South Colonnade Email: mail@ppo.gov.uk T l 020 7633 4100
Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU Web: www.ppo.gov.uk
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OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
© Crown copyright, 2026
This report is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0. To view this licence,
visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3
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1. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman aims to make a significant contribution to
safer, fairer custody and community supervision. One of the most important ways in
which we work towards that aim is by carrying out independent investigations into
deaths, due to any cause, of prisoners, young people in detention, residents of
approved premises and detainees in immigration centres.
2. If my office is to best assist His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) in
ensuring the standard of care received by those within service remit is appropriate,
our recommendations should be focused, evidenced and viable. This is especially
the case if there is evidence of systemic failure.
3. On 30 August 2007, Mr Anthony Barron was convicted of sexual offences and was
sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of nine years.
4. Mr Barron died in hospital of cancer (of unknown primary with liver, spleen and
lymph node metastases) on 18 July 2025, at HMP Ashfield. He was 72 years old.
We offer our condolences to Mr Barron’s family and friends.
5. The Ombudsman’s office wrote to Mr Barron’s next of kin to explain the
investigation and to ask if they had any matters they wanted us to consider. They
did not respond.
6. NHS England commissioned an independent clinical reviewer, to review Mr
Barron’s clinical care at HMP Ashfield.
7. The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Barron received at Ashfield
was of a good standard and was at least equivalent to that which he could expect to
receive in the wider community. He found that from the point of referral to the
suspected cancer pathway, Mr Barron was seen and assessed in hospital within the
current expected timeframe. The clinical reviewer made recommendations not
related to Mr Barron’s death that the Head of Healthcare will wish to address.
8. The PPO investigator investigated the non-clinical issues relating to Mr Barron’s
care.
9. We did not find any non-clinical issues of concern. We make no recommendations.
10. We shared the initial report with HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
HMPPS did not find any factual inaccuracies.
Adrian Usher November 2025
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
Inquest
The inquest hearing was held on 16 April 2026. The Coroner concluded that Mr Barron
died of natural causes.
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman 1
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
Third Floor, 10 South Colonnade Email: mail@ppo.gov.uk T l 020 7633 4100
Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU Web: www.ppo.gov.uk
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE