Restraint use on frail HMP Littlehey prisoner inappropriate, says ombudsman

The ombudsman expressed disappointment and concern about continued inappropriate use of restraints despite previous reports

A frail prisoner was "inappropriately restrained" by officers during hospital visits, an ombudsman has said.

Brian Goldburn, 79, was twice taken to hospital in July 2023 before he died on August 2 with pneumonitis with Covid.

It is the third time since the start of 2022 that HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire, has been criticised for restraining unwell prisoners inappropriately.

The Prison Service said it had now introduced additional checks.

Goldburn was jailed in January 2023 for sex offences and was taken to hospital in restraints on 4 and 25 July, despite medical objections.

On both occasions a nurse at the prison objected to the use of any restraints because he was "elderly and frail" and used a wheelchair, according to the report.

However, a senior prison manager authorised the use of an escort chain on the first occasion and a single cuff on the second while two officers accompanied Goldburn.

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) said there was "no explanation as to why it was justified against medical advice".

'Inappropriate use of restraints'

The PPO report stated : "It is hard to understand how the use of restraints could be justified with the presence of two able-bodied prison officers in attendance."

It said Goldburn's restraint on the first six-day admission was "excessively precautionary and an inappropriate use of restraints."

The ombudsman pointed to two investigations into deaths at the prison in 2022 which found prisoners had also been "unnecessarily restrained".

The prison service accepted recommendations at the time to ensure risk assessments would consider the health and mobility of prisoners.

"It is therefore particularly disappointing that Mr Goldburn was restrained," the report said.

The PPO recommended the prison service monitor compliance with the restraint use policy during hospital escorts and report back to them.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: "We have accepted the Ombudsman's recommendation and have introduced additional checks for the use of restraints when escorting prisoners to hospital."