The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
InvEstigAtion AftEr fEmAlE inmAtE (83) DiEs in prison
Woman was convicted of nine offences against children
An investigation has been launched after an 83-year-old woman died while serving a jail sentence at HMP Peterborough. Doreen Joseph, 83, was jailed last February for eight years and three months after a jury convicted her of nine charges of offences against children.
Joseph, from Rushden, Northamptonshire, died on Wednesday morning at the prison on Savile Road.
TherewerereportsJoseph was wheelchair-bound at the time of her death, and had suffered a fall two weeks previously.
A police spokesman said the death was not being treat- ed as suspicious.
In court last year, defending Doreen Joseph, Jimmy Vakil said: “It is a more than realistic proposition that she will die in prison.”
An HMP Peterborough spokesperson said: “We can confirm prisoner Doreen Joseph, 83, diedatHMPPeter- boroughonWednesdaymorning (January 4).
“The next of kin have been informed and our thoughts are with the family.
“As with all deaths in custody, there will be an investigation by the police and the i ndependent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman and therefore we are unable to comment further at this stage.”
A spokesman for Cambridgeshire police said: “We were called at 8.21am on Wednesday morning (January 4) by the prison service with reports of the sudden death of a woman at HMP Peterborough. The death of the woman, who was an inmate, is not being treated as suspicious and has been passed to the coroner.”
According to the last annual report at HMP Peterborough, published in August last year, four people died at the prison betweenApril2015 and March 2016. A Peterborough football fan has been banned from matches for three years after admittingtakingpartin a fight.
Derek Docherty (40) of Wootton Avenue, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to affray in relation to an incident in the Peacock pub in London Road on July 16 last year.
Peterborough United played apre-seasonfriendly with Norwich City at the ABAXstadiumonthesame day.
Docherty was given a £685 fine and a three year banningorderat Peterborough Magistrates’ Court.
Three other men appeared at the court on the same day and pleaded not guilty toonecountofaffray.
Theywill face trial at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on March 27.