Man died from overdose days after prison release

Ged Corbett died just days after he was released from HMP Thameside, a report has said

A man was found dead from a drug overdose days after his release from jail, a report has said.

Ged Corbett, 28, died in London on 19 August 2023 after his release from HMP Thameside three days earlier, according to the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman report.

A request for temporary accommodation in York had been made on his behalf for the day of his release, but the city council needed seven days' notice to house people with sex offence convictions, the report said.

Mr Corbett would have been given temporary overnight accommodation on the day he was released, but despite being asked to go to an initial homeless drop-in session he had not attended, City of York Council said.

High risk

The ombudsman's report outlined that Mr Corbett was first sentenced to a community order for sexual offences and placed on the sexual offenders register on 9 August 2022, before then being sentenced to 34 weeks at HMP Hull for assault on 13 February 2023.

He was released on 19 April, but just days later on 26 April, he was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison at HMP Thameside in Greenwich for failing to comply with the requirements of the sexual offences order.

Mr Corbett had a history of substance misuse, the ombudsman said, adding that “the prison substance misuse service saw him regularly and warned him of the risks associated with drug-taking and he remained under their care until he was released”.

Upon his release, Mr Corbett told his community offender manager that he wished to be released to Woolwich where he had family support and job opportunities.

However, the community offender manager found Mr Corbett had outstanding allegations of domestic abuse against him in the area, so it was deemed unsuitable for him to return there, the report said.

The community offender manager and another senior member of staff agreed that Mr Corbett’s risk level should be increased to high, and he would benefit from living in an approved premises after being released, to support him being integrated back into the community.

A referral was sent to a premises in York where Mr Corbett had previously lived, but it emerged there was no space for him on the dates requested.

Prison recall

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a request for temporary accommodation in York was then made on behalf of Mr Corbett, but the city council required at least a week's notice to find sort accommodation for individuals with sexual offence convictions.

Mr Corbett was released from HMP Thameside on 16 August with a supply of naloxone - medication that can reverse the effects of a drugs overdose - and training information on how to safely administer it.

He was assigned a City of York Council housing officer on the day he was released, and the authority said it would provide Mr Corbett with temporary accommodation for that night if he came to a homeless drop-in session.

But, according to the report, Mr Corbett did not attend his initial appointment and his community offender manager was unable to contact him as Mr Corbett did not have a mobile phone.

He was recalled to prison after not making contact within 24 hours of his release, however, he was found dead in London on 19 August.

A post-mortem examination report found Mr Corbett had died of acute respiratory depression and coma due to heroin toxicity, with an inquest in January this year also concluding his death was drug-related.

'Suitable accomodation'

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman noted in his report that Mr Corbett had a history of substance misuse, and found he had received appropriate treatment during his time at HMP Thameside before being transferred to a community substance misuse service on his release.

The report added that Mr Corbett’s community offender manage had liaised with external support agencies and completed the relevant housing referrals to local authorities and housing agencies due to him being homeless after being released.

The ombudsman added: "The provision of suitable accommodation for people leaving prison is an issue that extends beyond the remit of Thameside or local probation services, and the local authority may want to be aware of the issues raised in this case."

A spokesperson from Serco, which operates HMP Thameside, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We were saddened to learn of the death of Mr Corbett, who we supported during his time at HMP Thameside. Our thoughts are with his family and those who knew him.”

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