Geoffrey Tullett

OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
Independent investigation into
the death of Mr Geoffrey Tullett,
a prisoner at HMP Bure,
on 26 October 2024
A report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
Third Floor, 10 South Colonnade Email: mail@ppo.gov.uk T l 020 7633 4100
Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU Web: www.ppo.gov.uk
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
© Crown copyright, 2025
This report is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0. To view this licence,
visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3
Where we have identified any third-party copyright information you will need to obtain permission
from the copyright holders concerned.
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
1. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman aims to make a significant contribution to
safer, fairer custody and community supervision. One of the most important ways in
which we work towards that aim is by carrying out independent investigations into
deaths, due to any cause, of prisoners, young people in detention, residents of
approved premises and detainees in immigration centres.
2. If my office is to best assist His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) in
ensuring the standard of care received by those within service remit is appropriate,
our recommendations should be focused, evidenced and viable. This is especially
the case if there is evidence of systemic failure.
3. On 23 June 2022, Mr Geoffrey Tullett was sentenced to 18 years in prison for rape.
He died from metastatic lung cancer (cancer that had spread from the lungs to other
parts of the body) on 26 October 2024, while a prisoner at HMP Bure. He was 79
years old. We offer our condolences to Mr Tullett’s family and friends.
4. The Ombudsman’s office wrote to Mr Tullett’s next of kin to explain the investigation
and to ask if they had any matters they wanted us to consider. They did not
respond.
5. NHS England commissioned an independent clinical reviewer to review Mr Tullett’s
clinical care at Bure.
6. The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Tullett received at Bure was
of a reasonable standard and was equivalent to that which he could have expected
to receive in the community. She found that healthcare staff appropriately managed
and monitored Mr Tullett’s health needs, and identified the deterioration in his
health. The clinical reviewer made three recommendations which were not related
to Mr Tullett’s death but which the Head of Healthcare will want to address.
7. The PPO investigator investigated the non-clinical issues relating to Mr Tullett’s
care.
8. We did not find any non-clinical issues of concern and we make no
recommendations.
9. The initial report was shared with HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
HMPPS did not find any factual inaccuracies.
Adrian Usher April 2025
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
10. At an inquest held on 27 June 2025, the Coroner concluded that Mr Tullett. died of
natural causes.
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman 1
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
Third Floor, 10 South Colonnade Email: mail@ppo.gov.uk T l 020 7633 4100
Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU Web: www.ppo.gov.uk
OFFICIAL - FOR PUBLIC RELEASE