Leyland prison told to improve after 82-year-old sex offender died of cancer before compassionate release

Sidney Hughes was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his crimes in December 2022 and initally sent to Preston Prison.

Prior to his conviction - in January 2020 - he had been diagnosed with cancer, which was not terminal at that time, underwent surgery in March 2020 and commenced chemotherapy. He moved to Wymott in January 2023, and his condition became terminal in August 2023.

This child rapist died of painful cancer at Wymott Prison

He died from bowel cancer in his cell at the Leyland prison on November 24, 2023, less than two years after his conviction.

A review of the circumstances surrounding his death has been carried out by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) and the results issued this week. While the clinical reviewer concluded that care Mr Hughes received at Wymott was of a good standard "and equivalent to what he could have expected to receive in the community", it was found that there was a "significant" delay in the progression of a compassionate release application. 

It says that although the prison started the application promptly, the Community Offender Manager did not respond in a timely manner. Therefore, the application was not completed before Mr Hughes died.   

During the last few months of Hughes’ life, when his cancer was being assessed, he temporarily moved back to Preston Prison, but it was deemed his care would be appropriate in a specially adapted cell in Wymott. A report by Adrian Usher states that a secondary reception health screening was also not completed when Mr Hughes returned to Wymott in September 2023, which goes against National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance.

“Disappointing”

The PPO states: “We have made similar recommendations previously regarding the completion of secondary reception screenings at Wymott, and on both occasions the Head of Healthcare has agreed actions. It is disappointing that the action plans are not being implemented as agreed.”

Recommendations

Recommendations are that the The Head of Healthcare at HMP Wymott should carry out an audit to assure themselves that secondary reception screenings are being completed in accordance with guidance, and report back to the Ombudsman within two months.

A recommendation was also made that the Head of Hertfordshire Probation Delivery Unit should ensure that Senior Probation Officers are aware of their responsibilities to allocate tasks relating to Early Release on Compassionate Grounds to a duty Community Offender Manager(COM) in a timely manner.

As Mr Hughes was in the early stages of his sentence, he did not have an allocated Community Offender Manager. Prison staff had sent the COM report to a Senior Probation Officer (SPO) in Hertfordshire Probation Delivery Unit for allocation and completion.

Deaths at Wymott

Sidney Hughes was the 17th prisoner to die at HMP Wymott since November 2021. Of the previous deaths, 13 were from natural causes and three were selfinflicted. After Mr Hughes’ death there was one natural cause death in 2023 which is still under investigation.  What is Compassionate Release?

Release on compassionate grounds is a means by which prisoners who are seriously ill, usually with a life expectancy of less than three months, can be permanently released from custody before their sentence has expired. A clear medical opinion of life expectancy is required and there are key criteria that must be met, including that the risk of reoffending is expected to be minimal, further imprisonment would reduce life expectancy, there are adequate arrangements for the prisoner’s care and treatment outside prison, and release would benefit the prisoner and his family.

Although there is no prescribed timeline for completing the applications it is imperative that applications are expedited as far as possible and those making the application should take account of the urgency of the case.