Jaheim Grant

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Independent investigation into the
A report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
death of Mr Jaheim Grant,
a resident at Abingdon Road
Approved Premises,
on 6 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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© Crown copyright, 2026
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Summary
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. Mr Jaheim Grant died from the toxic effects of cocaine on 6 July 2025, while he was
a resident at Abingdon Road Approved Premises (AP). He was 22 years old. We
offer our condolences to those who knew him.
4. Mr Grant was released from HMP Lewes to Abingdon Road AP on 2 June 2025.
While at Lewes, he did not engage with substance misuse services (SMS) as he
said he did not have any current drug or alcohol problems.
5. There was no indication that Mr Grant was using cocaine while at Abingdon Road
AP. He tested positive for cannabis when he arrived, but subsequent drug tests
were negative. He had a positive alcohol breath test on 2 July and then on Friday 4
July, cannabis was found in his bag, so he was given a final warning. However, his
COM did not learn of this until Monday 7 July, after Mr Grant’s death. We
understand, therefore, why recall was not considered.
6. Mr Grant was referred to community SMS when he arrived at the AP and we are
satisfied that he received appropriate support.
7. We make no recommendations.
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The Investigation Process
8. HMPPS notified us of Mr Grant’s death on 7 July 2025.
9. The PPO investigator obtained copies of relevant extracts from Mr Grant’s prison
and probation records.
10. We informed HM Coroner for Oxfordshire of the investigation. He gave us the
results of the post-mortem examination. We have sent the Coroner a copy of this
report.
11. The Ombudsman’s office contacted Mr Grant’s mother to explain the investigation
and to ask if she had any matters she wanted us to consider. She did not respond
to our letter.
12. We shared our initial report with HMPPS. They found no factual inaccuracies.
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Background Information
Abingdon Road Approved Premises
13. Approved premises (APs) previously known as probation and bail hostels,
accommodate offenders released from prison on licence and those directed there
by the courts as a condition of bail. Their purpose is to provide an enhanced level of
residential supervision in the community, as well as a supportive and structured
environment.
14. Abingdon Road Approved Premises, in Oxfordshire, is part of the South-Central
region of the Probation Service, managed by HMPPS. It provides temporary
residential accommodation for individuals on probation, typically those assessed as
high-risk or with complex needs following release from custody.
HMP Lewes
15. HMP Lewes is a local prison serving the courts of East and West Sussex. Practice
Plus Group provides healthcare services. Nurses are available 24 hours a day.
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Key Events
Background
16. On 6 June 2024, Mr Jaheim Grant was sentenced to three years imprisonment for
burglary. On 10 October, he was moved to HMP Rochester.
17. On 8 April, Mr Grant attended a pre-release resettlement planning appointment. He
agreed with the final resettlement plan, which was for him to go to an Approved
Premises. He was due to be released on licence on 16 April and had a Jobcentre
appointment booked for the following day.
18. On 16 April, before his release, Mr Grant attended court for an outstanding drug
offence. He was remanded in custody and taken to HMP Lewes, with his next court
date scheduled for 30 May.
Pre-release planning
19. During his reception screen at Lewes, Mr Grant told the nurse that he had no
current problems with drug or alcohol use and did not need support with this.
20. There were no recorded incidents of Mr Grant being under the influence while at
Lewes.
21. On 30 May, Mr Grant was due to attend court and was expected to be released.
However, his court date was adjourned until Monday 2 June.
Release from HMP Lewes
22. On 2 June, Mr Grant went to court and was given a suspended sentence for drug
offences. He was released from Lewes and taken to Abingdon Road Approved
Premises (AP).
23. On 3 June, AP staff offered Mr Grant naloxone (a medicine used to reverse the
effects of an opioid overdose), but he declined. He tested positive for cannabis, and
staff referred this to his community offender manager (COM).
24. On 9 June, Mr Grant attended the Turning Point substance misuse service (SMS)
group at the AP, which takes place on Mondays. He took a drugs test, which was
negative. The same day, AP staff carried out a routine search of his room. Nothing
was found.
25. On 11 June, Mr Grant had a video call with his COM, based at Havant probation
office (around 85 miles from Abingdon Road AP), and his AP keyworker. The COM
discussed Mr Grant’s initial positive drug test. Mr Grant said he had used cannabis
in custody but had not used any since his release. His AP keyworker told Mr Grant
that he would be regularly drug tested, as Turning Point visited weekly.
26. On 18 June, Mr Grant had a phone appointment with his COM. During the call, she
told him that a local probation officer from Oxford would be in touch to arrange face-
to-face appointments.
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27. On 20 June, Mr Grant’s COM had a handover with a probation officer in Oxford,
local to the AP. They agreed that the Oxford probation officer would meet Mr Grant
in person every two weeks, while the COM would continue phone appointments on
alternate weeks.
28. On 25 June, Mr Grant spoke with his COM by phone. She confirmed the
arrangement for fortnightly face-to-face appointments with the Oxford probation
officer and phone calls with her on alternate weeks. Mr Grant asked to keep the
phone calls weekly, which she agreed to.
29. On 23 June, Mr Grant took a drug test with Turning Point. The result was negative.
30. On 1 July, a probation officer from Oxford visited Abingdon Road AP for an
appointment with Mr Grant. However, he had gone to the local lake with other AP
residents. The probation officer phoned him to reschedule and told him he must
attend the next appointment in person, which Mr Grant agreed to. This was
arranged for 7 July.
31. Later that day, when Mr Grant returned to Abingdon Road AP, staff asked him to
take a breathalyser test as they suspected he had been drinking. He blew 43
μg/100ml, which indicated alcohol consumption above the legal driving limit. The AP
staff referred this to his COM.
32. On 2 July, the One Referral Hub in probation referred Mr Grant for employment,
education and training support (known as the CFO hub in Oxford). His AP
keyworker also started an improvement plan due to his recent rule breaches and
missed keywork sessions.
33. On 3 July, Mr Grant spoke to his COM by phone. He said he had made friends at
the AP and was going out with them that day. He described them as positive
influences who, like him, were trying to turn their lives around. The COM asked why
he had missed his appointment with the Oxford probation officer. Mr Grant said he
had been at the lake with other residents and had forgotten. He said he returned to
the AP but the probation officer had already left. The COM reminded him of the
importance of attending future appointments on time. She also asked why he had
missed keyworker sessions, and Mr Grant said he would start attending them.
34. On 4 July, AP staff found cannabis in Mr Grant’s bag. The manager gave him a final
warning for breaching the AP rules. Mr Grant was upset with himself and agreed to
engage with Turning Point. The AP staff referred this to his COM.
Circumstances of Mr Grant’s death
35. On 6 July, a member of staff checked on Mr Grant at around 7.00am. He was
awake and on his phone.
36. At around 1.15pm, during afternoon checks, a member of staff found Mr Grant
unconscious on the floor. They called for help from another member of staff and
phoned for an emergency ambulance. As the staff member was unsure whether Mr
Grant was cold to the touch, the call handler instructed them to begin CPR. One
member of staff started CPR while another got a defibrillator. They continued with
CPR until the ambulance crew arrived at around 1.25pm.
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37. When the ambulance crew arrived, they stopped CPR as they recognised signs of
rigor mortis (stiffening of the body after death). They declared life extinct at 1.32pm.
Post-mortem report
38. The post-mortem report concluded that Mr Grant died from cocaine intoxication.
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Findings
Substance misuse support
39. When Mr Grant arrived at Lewes, he said he did not need support for drug and
alcohol use. There were no recorded incidents of him being under the influence
during his time there.
40. After his release, he was referred to the community substance misuse service,
Turning Point, which attended Abingdon Road AP weekly. We are satisfied that he
received appropriate support.
41. There were no indications that Mr Grant was using cocaine while he was at
Abingdon Road AP. Apart from testing positive for cannabis when he first arrived,
Mr Grant had no positive drug tests during his five weeks at the AP.
42. On Friday 4 July, cannabis was found in Mr Grant’s bag and staff gave him a final
warning. However, his COM did not learn of this until Monday 7 July, after Mr
Grant’s death. We understand, therefore, why recall had not been considered.
43. We make no recommendations.
44. At the inquest, held on 27 January 2026, the Coroner concluded that Mr Grant’s
death was drug related.
Adrian Usher
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman January 2026
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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
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