Austin Hughes

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Independent investigation into
the death of Mr Austin Hughes,
a prisoner at HMP Risley,
on 12 April 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 20 March 2025, Mr Austin Hughes was convicted of sexual offences and
sentenced to 32 months in prison.
4. Mr Hughes died in hospital of heart failure caused by ischaemic heart disease due
to coronary artery atheroma (buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries), left ventricular
hypertrophy (thickening of the left ventricle walls) and aortic valve calcification with
stenosis (narrowing and restricting blood flow from the heart) on 12 April 2025,
while a prisoner at HMP Risley. He was 76 years old. We offer our condolences to
Mr Hughes’ family and friends.
5. The Ombudsman’s office wrote to Mr Hughes’ daughter to explain the investigation
and to ask if she had any matters she wanted us to consider. She had no questions
but asked for a copy of our report.
6. We also shared the initial report with Mr Hughes’ family. They raised a number of
issues that do not impact on the factual accuracy of this report and which we have
addressed through separate correspondence.
7. We shared the initial report with HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
HMPPS did not find any factual inaccuracies.
8. NHS England commissioned an independent clinical reviewer to review Mr Hughes’
clinical care at HMP Risley. The clinical reviewer’s report is attached as Annex 1.
9. The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Hughes received at Risley
was of a good standard and equivalent to that which he could have expected to
receive in the community. She found that in Mr Hughes’ short time in prison,
healthcare staff promptly assessed his needs and appropriately referred him for a
social care assessment. The clinical reviewer made one recommendation not
related to Mr Hughes’ death that the Head of Healthcare will wish to address.
10. The PPO investigator investigated the non-clinical issues relating to Mr Hughes’
care.
11. We did not find any non-clinical issues of concern. We make no recommendations.
Inquest
The inquest into Mr Hughes’ death concluded on the 19 February 2026. The coroner
confirmed that Mr Hughes died from natural causes.
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman 1
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Adrian Usher March 2026
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
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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