Waldemar Pniewski

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Independent investigation into
the death of Mr Waldemar
Pniewski
a prisoner at HMP Littlehey,
on 27 January 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, 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
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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 13 May 2021, Mr Waldemar Pniewski was sentenced to 9 years in prison for sex
offences. He died from metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the lung (lung
cancer which has spread to other parts of the body) on 27 January 2025, while a
prisoner at HMP Littlehey. He was 56 years old. We offer our condolences to Mr
Pniewski’s family and friends.
4. The PPO family liaison officer wrote to Mr Pniewski’s sister to explain the
investigation and to ask if she had any matters she wanted us to consider. She did
not respond.
5. NHS England commissioned an independent clinical reviewer, to review Mr
Pniewski’s clinical care at HMP Littlehey. The clinical review is attached as Annex
1.
6. The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Pniewski received at
Littlehey was of a good standard and at least equivalent to that which he could have
expected to receive in the community. She found that Mr Pniewski was
accompanied by Polish speaking staff to hospital appointments, to translate. The
clinical reviewer made one recommendation not related to Mr Pniewski’s death that
the Head of Healthcare will want to address.
7. The PPO investigator investigated the non-clinical issues relating to Mr Pniewski’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.
10. At an inquest held on 30 September 2025, the Coroner concluded Mr Pniewski died
of natural causes.
Adrian Usher July 2025
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman 1
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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
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE