A paedophile from Bolton who died in custody was “wrongly” handcuffed despite being unable to walk unaided, a prison watchdog has found.
John Williams, 65, died at HMP Isle of Wight on 29 May 2023 from heart failure and end-stage kidney disease. He was serving a 20-year sentence for serious sexual offences against a child, including three counts of rape and five indecent assaults.
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has now criticised the use of restraints on Williams, noting his deteriorating health and limited mobility.
Williams had a long-standing history of diabetes, high blood pressure and severe mobility problems caused by a motorbike crash in the 1980s. He relied on a Zimmer frame and was considered unwell for much of his time in custody.
In January 2022, he was admitted to St Mary’s Hospital in Newport after concerns were raised about his condition. Despite being frail and requiring support to move, records show he remained handcuffed to staff throughout his hospital stay. The Ombudsman described this as “inappropriate”.
The report also highlighted that Williams was among 26 prisoners to die at the Isle of Wight prison between May 2020 and his death in May 2023. Of those, 21 were from natural causes and four were self-inflicted. A further seven inmates have died since, also from natural causes.
Three previous investigations by the Ombudsman into deaths at the prison also criticised the use of restraints on seriously ill or dying inmates.
Williams’ health declined rapidly in the final year of his life. In November 2021, he was diagnosed with stage four chronic kidney disease. He was later moved to the Isle of Wight prison where he told staff he would no longer accept hospital treatment, saying he was “not bothered” about the consequences and wanted to return to prison.
By early 2023, his kidneys were failing completely. In July, he signed a do-not-resuscitate order. He died just over ten months later.
The Ombudsman’s report concludes that the use of restraints breached guidelines for managing older and infirm prisoners. It said there was no evidence Williams posed a flight risk or threat that justified their continued use during hospital visits.
The findings are expected to inform future policy on the treatment of seriously ill prisoners across the estate.
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