William Moore

OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
Independent investigation into
the death of Mr William Moore,
a prisoner at HMP Rye Hill, on
29 July 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 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 November 2017, Mr William Moore was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for
several sexual offences. He died of metastatic malignant melanoma (skin cancer
which has spread to other parts of the body) on 29 July 2024 in hospital, while a
prisoner at HMP Rye Hill. He was 67 years old. We offer our condolences to Mr
Moore’s family and friends.
4. The Ombudsman’s office wrote to Mr Moore’s next of kin to explain the investigation
and to ask if she had any matters she wanted us to consider. She had no questions
but asked for a copy of our report.
5. NHS England commissioned an independent clinical reviewer to review Mr Moore’s
clinical care at Rye Hill.
6. The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Moore received at Rye Hill
was of a good standard and equivalent to that which he could have expected to
receive in the community. She found that there was clear evidence of care planning
for the management of long-term conditions and end of life care. The clinical
reviewer made no recommendations.
7. The PPO investigator investigated the non-clinical issues relating to Mr Moore’s
care. We did not find any non-clinical issues of concern. We make no
recommendations.
8. The initial report was shared with HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
HMPPS did not find any factual inaccuracies.
9. Mr Moore’s next of kin received a copy of the draft report. They did not make any
comments.
Adrian Usher
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman January 2025
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman 1
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
Inquest
The inquest into Mr Moore’s death concluded on 30 January 2025. It found that Mr Moore
died of skin cancer and that diabetes contributed to but did not cause his death. The
Coroner concluded that Mr Moore died of natural causes.
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