Raymond Cheshire

OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
Independent investigation into the
death of Mr Raymond Cheshire,
a prisoner at HMP Peterborough,
on 21 April 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, 2024
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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. On 24 February 2024, Mr Raymond Cheshire was remanded in prison charged with
rape. He died in hospital of heart failure on 21 April, while a prisoner at HMP
Peterborough. He was 56 years old. We offer our condolences to Mr Cheshire’s
family and friends.
4. The Ombudsman’s office contacted Mr Cheshire’s son to explain the investigation
and to ask if he had any matters he wanted us to consider. He did not respond.
5. NHS England commissioned an independent clinical reviewer to review Mr
Cheshire’s clinical care at Peterborough.
6. The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Cheshire received at
Peterborough was of a good standard and equivalent to that which he could have
expected to receive in the community. He made no recommendations.
7. The PPO investigator investigated the non-clinical issues relating to Mr Cheshire’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 with the prison’s healthcare provider,
Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. They found no factual
inaccuracies.
10. We sent a copy of our initial report to Mr Cheshire’s son. He did not notify us of any
factual inaccuracies.
Adrian Usher
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman October 2024
Inquest
The inquest, held on 13 November 2024, concluded that Mr Cheshire 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