Mohammed Fethaullah

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Independent investigation
into the death of
Mr Mohammed Fethaullah,
a prisoner at HMP/YOI High Down,
on 13 May 2025
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
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© Crown copyright, 2026
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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. In August 2003, Mr Mohammed Fethaullah was sentenced to life imprisonment with
a minimum tariff of 18 years and 316 days for murder. He died in hospital of
anaemia and ischemic heart disease on 13 May 2025, while a prisoner at HMP/YOI
High Down. He was 64 years old. We offer our condolences to Mr Fethaullah’s
family and friends.
4. The Ombudsman’s office wrote to Mr Fethaullah’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
Fethaullah’s clinical care at High Down.
6. The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Fethaullah received at High
Down was of a good standard and equivalent to what he could have expected to
receive in the community. He found that Mr Fethaullah received a good standard of
care co-ordination and case management for his long-standing health conditions.
The clinical reviewer made no recommendations.
7. The PPO investigator investigated the non-clinical issues relating to Mr Fethaullah’s
care. We did not find any non-clinical issues of sufficient concern to warrant a
recommendation.
Governor to note
Staff support
8. National policy states that senior managers must hold a debrief with all staff
involved following a death in custody and that both on-site and off-site staff (such as
escorting officers) know what support is available to them and how to access it.
When Mr Fethaullah died, senior managers did not conduct a debrief with the
escorting officers who were present when he died. The Safety Hub Manager, said
that the escorting staff were not debriefed because Mr Fethaullah died in hospital -
an approach that contradicts the guidance. The Governor will want to assure
themselves that staff are debriefed and offered support following the death of a
prisoner.
9. The initial report was shared with HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
HMPPS did not find any factual inaccuracies.
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman 1
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Adrian Usher October 2025
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
2 Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
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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
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