Peter Cordingley

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Independent investigation into
the death of
Mr Peter Cordingley,
a prisoner at HMP Littlehey,
on 1 August 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 23 January 2015, Mr Peter Cordingley was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment
for sexual offences.
4. Mr Cordingley died of lung cancer on 1 August 2025, while a prisoner at HMP
Littlehey. He was 79 years old. We offer our condolences to Mr Cordingley’s family
and friends.
5. The Ombudsman’s office wrote to Mr Cordingley’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 to our letter.
6. NHS England commissioned an independent clinical reviewer, to review Mr
Cordingley’s clinical care at HMP Littlehey. The clinical reviewer’s report is attached
as Annex 1.
7. The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Cordingley received at
Littlehey was of a reasonable standard and equivalent to what he could have
expected to receive in the community. She found that Mr Cordingley’s medical
records contained evidence of excellent individualised end of life care planning. The
clinical reviewer made one recommendation not related to Mr Cordingley’s death
that the Head of Healthcare will wish to address.
8. The PPO investigator investigated the non-clinical issues relating to Mr Cordingley’s
care. We did not find any non-clinical issues of sufficient concern to require a
recommendation.
9. The initial report was shared with HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
HMPPS and Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust pointed out some
factual inaccuracies and this report has been amended accordingly.
10. At the inquest held on 20 October 2025, the coroner concluded that Mr Cordingley
died of natural causes.
Adrian Usher December 2025
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman 1
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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