HMP Bullingdon: Concern over drugs in jail after prisoner's death

The report found the prisoner got the drugs "with apparent ease"

A prison must cut the "easy availability" of drugs after a prisoner died from taking a toxic mix of substances, a report has concuded.

Daniel Curran, 48, died at HMP Bullingdon in Oxfordshire after taking heroin and pregabalin.

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) Sue McAllister said she she was "concerned" he got the drugs "with apparent ease".

The Ministry of Justice said it has implemented all of her recommendations.

Curran, who had a "long history" of substance misuse, was spotted by a prison worker lying on the floor of his cell at about 21:30 BST on 8 July 2020. He was declared dead by paramedics at about 22:45.

While he previously "seemed to engage well" with substance misuse services and was "motivated" to stop using drugs, he "frequently relapsed" into using them, Mrs McAllister found.

X-ray body scanner

Toxicology tests showed he had taken the drugs and a post-mortem examination concluded he died from mixed drug intoxication and inhalation of vomit.

Mrs McAllister said though steps had been taken to cut the availability of drugs in the prison following an inspection in 2019, further work "stalled because of the Covid-19 pandemic".

"This work needs to be revived so [the prison's] drug supply issues are properly addressed," she said.

Curran was first jailed in August 2006, released on licence in April 2016 but recalled to prison that November because he committed further offences. He moved to HMP Bullingdon in October 2019.

Mrs McAllister found Curran had "excellent" support from his substance misuse worker at the prison and that his clinical care was "equivalent to that he could have expected to receive in the community".

A Prison Service spokesperson said: "Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Mr Curran.

"Since his death in 2020 we have implemented all of the PPO's recommendations and spent £100m on security to stop illicit items getting into prisons nationwide, including an X-ray body scanner at HMP Bullingdon."