Officers told the wrong family about the death of an inmate at a maximum security prison.
The error emerged in a Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) investigation into the death of Mohammed Ahmed at HMP Frankland, in Durham, in March 2024.
Police in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, were sent to what was believed to be his next of kin’s address, but it was in fact the address of the family of a different prisoner at another prison.
Ahmed’s family was contacted the following day. The Prison Service apologised and said inmates’ next-of-kin details would be updated more regularly.
Ahmed was serving an indefinite sentence for attempting to murder his wife, and later attacking a probation officer, when he took his own life.
The 46-year-old had served 10 years at Frankland and did not phone his family, but the prison authorities did have his father’s details as an approved contact.
The PPO report stated that after his death, a family liaison officer was appointed and she tried to check next-of-kin details against the last family visit Ahmed had received in 2023.
Officers were sent to the address at about 16:00 GMT on 13 March 2024, after his death was confirmed at about 06:30 that day.
The report explained: “However, Rochdale police reported that it was not the correct address for Mr Ahmed’s next of kin (and was in fact the address of the next of kin of a different prisoner at another prison).”
It also said: “The initial details obtained for Mr Ahmed’s next of kin were taken from a visits list and were, in fact, incorrect and for another prisoner of the same name.
“This should not have happened.”
The Prison Service said: “We are very sorry for the distress caused and have written to the family concerned.
“This error was quickly identified and corrected, and steps have been taken to prevent this happening again including annual checks of next of kin details.”
