Convicted murderer took his own life at Cambridgeshire prison

He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 28 years

A convicted murderer took his own life at a Cambridgeshire prison, a report has revealed. In August 2015, Jason Thaxter was remanded into custody and charged with murder.

In December 2016, Mr Thaxter was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment with minimum term of 28 years. He was later sent to HMP Whitemoor in March in September 2020.

On August 15, 2023, officers arrived at Thaxter’s cell to give him his lunch when he was found to be unconscious or having breathing difficulties. Thaxter, aged 46, had taken his own life.

A report, recently published by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman looked into Thaxter’s death. The report claimed that in July 2023, around a month before Thaxter died, the prison received information that the 46-year-old was frustrated with the cleanliness of the wing and the current restricted regime.

The report concluded that “Mr Thaxter gave no obvious indication to staff that he was at risk of suicide”. It added: “However, in the months leading up to his death, Mr Thaxter spent frequent periods of the day confined to his cell due to the restricted regime in place at Whitemoor.

“Both illicit drugs and medication, which had not been prescribed to him, were found in Mr Thaxter’s system after he died.”

The report found that although “Whitemoor was unable to deliver a consistent regime due to staff shortages” and that “prisoners had limited access to purposeful activity” the clinical care Mr Thaxter received was “of satisfactory standard” and no recommendations were made by the clinical reviewer.

The inquest into the 46-year-old’s death finished on November 5, 2025 and it was concluded that Thaxter died as a result of suicide.