Raymond Noble

OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
Independent investigation into
the death of Mr Raymond Noble,
a prisoner at HMP Leyhill, on
19 May 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
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
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
Where we have identified any third-party copyright information you will need to obtain permission
from the copyright holders concerned.
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
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 June 2022, Mr Raymond Noble was sentenced to six years imprisonment for
sexual offences. He died of congestive cardiac failure (when the heart cannot pump
enough blood to the rest of the body) caused by mitral and tricuspid valve
regurgitation (when the heart valves do not close properly and there is a back flow
of blood in the heart). Pneumonia (infection of the lungs) and atrial flutter (when the
heart’s rhythm is too fast) also contributed to but did not cause Mr Noble’s death.
He was 91 years old when died on 19 May 2025 in hospital. We offer our
condolences to Mr Noble’s family and friends.
4. The Ombudsman’s office wrote to Mr Noble’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.
5. NHS England commissioned an independent clinical reviewer, to review Mr Noble’s
clinical care at HMP Leyhill.
6. The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Noble received at Leyhill
was of 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 Noble’s
care.
8. We did not find any non-clinical issues of concern. We make no recommendations.
9. The initial report was shared with HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
HMPPS did not find any factual inaccuracies.
Adrian Usher November 2025
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
Inquest
The inquest hearing was held on 14 April 2026. The Coroner concluded that Mr Noble died
of 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