Mark Woolley

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Independent investigation into
the death of Mr Mark Woolley,
a prisoner at HMP Wayland,
on 5 February 2024
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, 2025
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OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
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 December 2000, Mr Mark Woolley was sentenced to life imprisonment for
murder. He died in hospital of lung cancer on 5 February 2024, while a prisoner at
HMP Wayland. He was 58 years old. We offer our condolences to Mr Woolley’s
family and friends.
4. The Ombudsman’s office contacted Mr Woolley’s next of kin, his brother, to explain
the investigation and to ask if he had any matters he wanted us to consider. He had
no questions but asked for a copy of our report.
5. NHS England commissioned an independent clinical reviewer to review Mr
Woolley’s clinical care at Wayland.
6. The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Woolley received at
Wayland was of a good standard and equivalent to that which he could have
expected to receive in the community. She made no recommendations.
7. The PPO investigator investigated the non-clinical issues relating to Mr Woolley’s
care.
8. We did not find any non-clinical issues of concern. We make no recommendations.
9. We shared our initial report with HMPPS and the prison’s healthcare provider,
Practice Plus Group. They found no factual inaccuracies.
10. We sent a copy of our initial report to Mr Woolley’s next of kin. They did not notify
us of any factual inaccuracies.
Adrian Usher
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman November 2024
Inquest
The inquest, held on 23 December 2024, concluded that Mr Woolley died from 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