Peter Dodd

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Independent investigation into
the death of Mr Peter Dodd, a
prisoner at HMP North Sea Camp,
on 3 September 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. In 1994, Mr Dodd was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder. He died in
hospital on 3 September 2025, following a heart attack at HMP North Sea Camp
that morning. He was 69 years old. We offer our condolences to those who knew
him.
4. NHS England commissioned an independent clinical reviewer to review Mr Dodd’s
clinical care at North Sea Camp.
5. The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Dodd received at North Sea
Camp was of a good standard and was at least equivalent to that which he could
have expected to receive in the community. She made two recommendations that
the Head of Healthcare has already actioned and a third recommendation that the
Head of Healthcare will wish to address.
6. The PPO investigator investigated the non-clinical issues relating to Mr Dodd’s
care.
7. When Mr Dodd told prison staff in the early hours of 3 September that he had chest
pains, they called the NHS 111 helpline instead of calling a medical emergency
code, which would have triggered the calling of an ambulance. This caused a delay
in Mr Dodd receiving treatment from ambulance paramedics.
8. Since Mr Dodd’s death, North Sea Camp has issued a Notice to Staff to remind
them that a medical emergency code should be used when prisoners report life
threatening symptoms such as chest pain. As the prison has already taken action,
we make no recommendation.
9. We found no other non-clinical issues of concern. We make no recommendations.
10. We shared the initial report with HMPPS and the prison’s healthcare provider,
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. They pointed out a factual
inaccuracy in the clinical review, which has been corrected.
Adrian Usher February 2026
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
Inquest
At the inquest, held on 25 June 2026, the Coroner concluded that Mr Dodd 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