An unidentified prisoner has died of natural causes while having treatment at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.
Express has chosen not to share the individual’s identity as it has not been officially confirmed to us. It is understood it was a man in his later years who had been serving a lengthy prison sentence for a number of sexual offences against female victims including young children. He is believed to have been around half way through his prison sentence at the time of his death.
Emails shared with Express show that concerns were raised about the man’s hospital stay before it was known that he had died.
A member of the public said they had been told that the sex offender was being treated on an open hospital ward where children and women were present. It’s alleged that the convicted paedophile was seen interacting with children while at the PEH.
Further concerns were raised around a lack of visible security around the sex offender while he was in hospital.
Responding to these concerns, Deputy Marc Leadbeater confirmed that the prisoner was receiving specialist medical treatment that could not be given within the prison itself.
The President of Home Affairs said he was “reassured that the safeguards put in place by the Prison Service in the hospital were appropriate to manage any potential risk”.
Deputy Leadbeater said that while the man had died of natural causes while at the hospital, he had been accommodated in a single room while being treated “to minimise any interaction with the public”.
The man also “needed assistance to move around” and “the management of the prisoner in hospital is believed to have been successful”.
Deputy Leadbeater replied via email to say that he had not been made aware of any inappropriate interactions or incidents while the sex offender was at the PEH.
He also said that as part of the normal process when an individual dies in custody there will be a full review of the arrangements in place at the time of the prisoner’s passing by the independent Ombudsman.
Deputy Leadbeater said the concerns raised by the member of the public will form part of that process.
In response, the concerned individual reiterated concerns around the sex offender not being managed by prison staff or other visible security, that he was being treated on an open ward, and that hospital staff observed interactions with children.
