Mark Powell

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Independent investigation into
A report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
the death of Mr Mark Powell,
a prisoner at HMP Wymott,
on 4 June 2023
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, 2024
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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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 Mark Powell died in hospital of tuberculosis on 4 June 2023, while a prisoner at
HMP Wymott. He was 50 years old. We offer our condolences to Mr Powell’s family
and friends.
4. The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Powell received at Wymott
was of a good standard and was equivalent to that which he could have expected to
receive in the community. She made no recommendations.
5. We did not find any non-clinical issues of concern. We make no recommendations.
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The Investigation Process
6. HMPPS notified us of Mr Powell’s death on 4 June 2023.
7. NHS England commissioned an independent clinical reviewer to review Mr Powell’s
clinical care at Wymott.
8. The PPO investigator investigated the non-clinical issues relating to Mr Powell’s
care.
9. The PPO family liaison officer wrote to Mr Powell’s daughter to explain the
investigation and to ask if she had any matters she wanted us to consider. She did
not respond to our letter.
10. The initial report was shared with HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
HMPPS did not find any factual inaccuracies.
Previous deaths at HMP Wymott
11. Mr Powell was the twenty-first prisoner to die at Wymott since June 2020. Of the
previous deaths, 19 were from natural causes and one was self-inflicted.
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Key Events
12. On 22 October 1999, Mr Mark Powell was sentenced to life imprisonment for child
abduction.
13. On 29 September 2022, Mr Powell was moved to HMP Wymott.
14. On 14 May 2023, Mr Powell told a nurse at Wymott that he had lost weight, and that
he had not opened his bowels for three weeks. The next day, a nurse took Mr
Powell’s weight and recorded that he had lost 11kg over the last eight months.
15. On 17 May, a GP at Wymott saw Mr Powell to discuss his weight loss. The GP
arranged for blood tests and a stool sample to be collected from Mr Powell.
16. At around 3.00pm the next day, Mr Powell collapsed on the wing. A nurse took Mr
Powell’s clinical observations and calculated a National Early Warning Score
(NEWS2, used to assess clinical deterioration) which showed that Mr Powell should
be monitored every three hours.
17. Around three hours later, Mr Powell collapsed again. A nurse took Mr Powell’s
observations and calculated his NEWS2 score, which remained the same. The
nurse was concerned that Mr Powell was confused and was going in and out of
consciousness, so she called a code blue (a medical emergency code used when a
prisoner is unconscious or having breathing difficulties). The control room rang for
an ambulance and Mr Powell was taken to the Royal Preston Hospital where he
was admitted to a ward for further tests.
18. On 19 May, Mr Powell had a CT scan of his head The scan showed an abnormal
growth which doctors suspected to be a cancerous brain tumour. The hospital
arranged for him to have an MRI scan and further tests. He remained an inpatient at
the hospital.
19. On 26 May, a doctor at the Royal Preston Hospital said that given Mr Powell’s rapid
deterioration, it was likely that the cancer has spread to other areas of his body. The
doctor said that further tests were needed to confirm this.
20. Over the next week, Mr Powell remained in hospital where his health continued to
deteriorate, and he became increasingly agitated and confused. He was scheduled
to be discussed by the hospital’s oncology (cancer) and neurology (brain) teams at
their next meeting.
21. On 3 June, Mr Powell had a cardiac arrest (when the heart stops beating) but
doctors managed to restart his heart. He was moved to the intensive care unit and
placed on life support.
22. The next day, following no improvement in Mr Powell’s condition overnight, doctors
spoke with Mr Powell’s family. They said it was unlikely that Mr Powell’s condition
would improve, and the family agreed to remove his life support.
23. At 5.10pm on 4 June, Mr Powell died with his family by his side.
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Post-mortem report
24. The post-mortem report concluded that Mr Powell died of disseminated
mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (where tuberculosis bacteria spread to other
areas of the body).
Adrian Usher
Prison and Probation Ombudsman November 2023
Inquest
The inquest, held on 7 October 2024, concluded that Mr Powell died from natural causes.
4 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
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