Lee Fox

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Independent investigation into
the death of Mr Lee Fox,
a prisoner at HMP Oakwood,
on 28 October 2024
A report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
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© Crown copyright, 2025
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Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
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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. In July 2002, Mr Lee Fox was sentenced to life imprisonment for attempted murder.
He received a tariff of 999 months. Mr Fox died of mouth, throat and lung cancer on
28 October 2024, at HMP Oakwood. He was 51 years old. We offer our
condolences to those who knew him.
4. The Ombudsman’s office wrote to Mr Fox’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.
5. NHS England commissioned an independent clinical reviewer to review Mr Fox’s
clinical care at Oakwood.
6. The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Fox received at Oakwood
was of a very good standard and equivalent to what he could have expected to
receive in the community. She found that Mr Fox received a good continuity of care
from the same members of the healthcare team, who tried to provide the best care
they could for him.
7. Mr Fox was a complex patient who refused any treatment for his mouth and throat
cancer. However, he was reviewed regularly by the healthcare team and was
discussed in their Multi-Professional Complex Case Clinic (MPCCC) meetings. The
clinical reviewer concluded the care provided by the healthcare team at Oakwood
was in line with the Dying Well in Custody Charter (2018). She made no
recommendations.
8. The PPO investigator investigated the non-clinical issues relating to Mr Fox’s care.
9. We did not find any non-clinical issues of concern. We make no recommendations.
10. The initial report was shared with HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
HMPPS did not find any factual inaccuracies.
Adrian Usher April 2025
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
At the inquest held on 16 May 2025, the coroner concluded Mr Lee Fox died of natural
causes.
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman 1
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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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