Shaun Leggett

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Independent investigation into
the death of Mr Shaun Leggett,
a prisoner at HMP Exeter,
on 9 August 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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© Crown copyright, 2026
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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 19 May 2023, Mr Shaun Leggett was sentenced to 20 years in prison for sex
offences. He died from multiple myeloma (a blood cancer that affects the plasma
cells) on 9 August 2024, while a prisoner at HMP Exeter. He was 59 years old. We
offer our condolences to Mr Leggett’s family and friends.
4. The PPO family liaison officer wrote to Mr Leggett’s next of kin to explain the
investigation and to ask if they had any matters they wanted us to consider. They
asked about the delay in Mr Leggett receiving cancer treatment. We have
addressed this in paragraph 7 below.
5. NHS England commissioned an independent clinical reviewer to review Mr
Leggett’s clinical care at HMP Exeter. The clinical review is attached as Annex 1.
6. The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Leggett received at Exeter
was of a good standard and was at least equivalent to that which he could have
expected to receive in the community. She found that there was good
communication between healthcare staff at Exeter and the hospital. Although it did
not affect Mr Leggett’s clinical care before his death, she found that some aspects
of the end-of-life care planning were not discussed with Mr Leggett until three
months before he died. The clinical reviewer made a recommendation about this
which was not related to Mr Leggett’s death but which the Head of Healthcare will
want to address.
7. In response to the family’s question, the clinical reviewer found that Mr Leggett
initially declined cancer treatment but there was no delay in him receiving it once he
agreed to it.
8. The PPO investigator investigated the non-clinical issues relating to Mr Leggett’s
care.
9. We did not identify any non-clinical learning and we make no recommendations.
10. The initial report was shared with HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
HMPPS did not find any factual inaccuracies.
11. Mr Leggett’s next of kin received a copy of the draft report. They did not make any
comments.
12. At an inquest held on 7 May 2026, the Coroner concluded that Mr Leggett died of
natural causes.
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman 1
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Adrian Usher October 2025
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
2 Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
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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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