A prisoner trapped on an abolished indefinite jail term for 13 years longer than his original sentence took his own life weeks after the Conservative government refused to right the historic wrong.
Keith Gadd died aged 60 inside category B HMP Bristol with no friends or family left to contact.
He had never been released from the controversial imprisonment for public protection (IPP) jail term he was handed in 2006, despite serving almost five times longer than his original tariff of three years and five months.
Mr Gadd is among 94 IPP prisoners who have taken their own lives after losing hope of being freed from the open-ended jail term, which has been branded “psychological torture” by the UN.
The sentences, which were scrapped in 2012, have left thousands trapped in jail with no release date, with some serving up to 22 times longer than their original tariff.
A prisons watchdog found prison staff missed key warning signs before Mr Gadd’s self-inflicted death on 9 March 2023 and said they needed to do more to recognise the increased risk of suicide and self-harm for IPP prisoners.
His death came a month after the then justice secretary Dominic Raab refused recommendations from the cross-party justice committee for all remaining IPP prisoners to be resentenced.
Former Conservative MP Sir Bob Neill, who was chair of the justice committee, said at the time that the government had “missed an opportunity to right a wrong that has left nearly 3,000 people behind”.
A report from the prisons and probation ombudsman (PPO) Adrian Usher, published this week, found Mr Gadd, who was jailed for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, had a history of previous suicide attempts and suffered from anxiety and depression.
A risk assessment in 2021 warned he would need ongoing monitoring and experienced suicidal thoughts when he felt things were not going right for him, often withdrawing and becoming socially avoidant.
Many of these signs were apparent in the days before his death, the report found, adding: “He did not go to work, spent more time in his cell, and his behaviour to his friends was out of character.”
Three prisoners on his wing had told staff they were worried about him, and their concerns should have been given “more weight” in light of his IPP status, the report said.
Mr Gadd had also been waiting for three months for the justice secretary to approve his transfer to an open prison after he was recommended for the move by the Parole Board. This would have been a source of “anxiety and frustration”, the ombudsman said.
Mr Gadd was found unresponsive in his cell at 8am on 9 March and pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
Mr Usher concluded HMP Bristol, a category B reception prison, was an “inappropriate location” for Mr Gadd because it was unable to offer him the risk-harm reduction work or mental health support he needed.
He had previously spent a year living in open conditions at HMP Leyhill, but was returned to closed conditions based on “hearsay evidence” from another inmate, who claimed he had overheard Mr Gadd threaten to stab someone.
Mr Gadd felt this was a malicious accusation from a prisoner who had bullied him, but his explanation was never explored by prison staff, the report said.
He had only met with a key worker once in the seven months he was held at HMP Bristol, which was described as one of the “most unsafe prisons in the country” by the chief inspector of prisons in a report later that year.
Charlie Taylor issued an urgent notification over conditions at the site in July 2023 after six suicides in just 10 months. Many prisoners are held for 22 hours a day in cells designed for one person.
In September that year, the prisons ombudsman issued a special bulletin following a “worrying increase” in self-inflicted deaths among those serving IPP sentences.
Campaigner Shirley Debono, co-founder of IPP Committee in Action, joined a protest outside the Bristol prison following Mr Gadd’s death.
She warned IPP prisoners’ hopes were “snatched away” when Mr Raab dismissed resentencing, despite a major report urging ministers to appoint an expert committee to look at the process.
“I think the damage was done the moment Dominic Raab said he wasn’t going to resentence these prisoners,” she told The Independent.
The government is considering fresh proposals from former lord chief justice John Thomas and the Howard League for Penal Reform for all IPP prisoners to be given a release date with two years of their next parole hearing.
A Prisons Service spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with those who knew Keith Gadd, and staff at HMP Bristol have received bolstered training to better support IPP prisoners.
“It is right these sentences were abolished, and we continue to work with organisations and campaign groups to ensure appropriate action is taken to support those still serving their sentence.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email [email protected], or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to befrienders.org to find a helpline near you
