Russell Tillson

OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
Independent investigation into
the death of Mr Russell Tillson,
a prisoner at HMP Littlehey, on
25 November 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
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
© Crown copyright, 2025
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 concern
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 September 2023, Mr Russell Tillson was sentenced to 68 months for indecent
assault. He died of acute left ventricular failure on 25 November 2024 at HMP
Littlehey. He was 74 years old. We offer our condolences to Mr Tillson’s family and
friends.
4. The Ombudsman’s office wrote to Mr Tillson’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 Tillson’s
clinical care at Littlehey.
6. The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Tillson received at Littlehey
was of a reasonable standard and at least equivalent to what he could have
expected to receive in the community. He found that Mr Tillson’s medical records
showed that he consistently refused to go to hospital for further assessment and
management of his high potassium levels, but he was regularly reviewed by nurses,
GPs and a palliative medicine consultant who provided appropriate care. The
clinical reviewer also found that Mr Tillson had care plans in place for
cardiovascular diseases, CKD, and diabetes, but he did not have a plan in place for
palliative care.
7. The clinical reviewer made no recommendations but has raised other issues not
related to Mr Tillson’s death that the Head of Healthcare will wish to consider.
8. The PPO investigator investigated the non-clinical issues relating to Mr Tillson’s
care. We did not find any non-clinical issues of concern.
9. We make no recommendations.
10. The initial report was shared with HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
HMPPS did not find any factual inaccuracies.
Adrian Usher April 2025
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
At the inquest held on 23 May 2025, the coroner concluded Mr Tillson 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