Concerns after death of inmate
The family of a sex offender suffered unnecessary and preventable distress after his death in prison, an investigation has found.
Disgraced former school teacher Ronald Wotton, 80, was jailed for 16 months in December 2020, for abusing a man decades earlier.
Wotton, previously of Park Lane, Murton, had also been jailed for a string of similar offences in 2014.
HediedatHMPDurhamon May 25, 2021, of colon cancer.
AninvestigationbythePrisons and Probation Ombudsman service made a number of recommendations after several concerns arising from Wotton’s death.
They included there being no prison staff available to escorthimtohospitalaweekearlier for urgent treatment.
The prison also failed inform the coroner of Wotton’s deathuntilaweeklateronJune 1, after the police refused to attend. Wotton’s family had to identify his body 15 days after he died, meaning his funeral was delayed.
A report by Elizabeth Moody, Deputy Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, stated:
“This caused Mr Wotton’s family unnecessary and preventable distress."
There was also poor communication between the prison and Wotton’s family when the prison’s family liaison officerwentonleaveforfivedays.
The report added: “This meant that there was a period of around two weeks when the next of kin had difficulty contactinganyoneattheprisonfor support and advice.”
Ms Moody added she was “particularly frustrated and disappointed” about the inappropriate use of restraints.
Despite his age and poor mobility, Wotton was kept in restraints for six days when he was taken to hospital on May 13.
Recommendations of the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman include that the governor should ensure there are sufficient staff to escort prisoners who need to go to hospital urgently and say what further steps will be taken to ensure ill prisoners with poor mobilityarenotinappropriately restrained.
The Governor should also ensure that contingency plans includeinstructionsonhowto inform the coroner of a death in the absence of the police.
A deputy family liaison officer should also be appointed and all contact with a next of kin recorded in the absence of the designated officer.
An action plan states these have now all been completed.