Convicted paedophile found dead at HMP Northumberland

Allan Waddup, 33, was found dead in his cell at HMP Northumberland on 13 December 2019, weeks after being returned to prison for breaching the terms of his release.

Waddup had been sentenced in January 2015 to eight years in prison for sexual offences against a child. He was released on licence on October 9, 2018.

One of the conditions of that licence required him to notify his offender manager if he formed a relationship with someone who lived with children.

The outside of HMP Northumberland (Image: PRISON REPORT)

The Coroner’s Regulation 28 report states that Waddup was recalled to prison on October 29, 2019, after police discovered he was in a relationship with a pregnant woman who was living with her two children.

He had not told his offender manager about the relationship, placing him in breach of his licence conditions.

The report said that Waddup also failed to disclose his previous offence to his partner. In a telephone call on December 12, 2019, she told him she had to end the relationship or social services would take her children away.

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman said Waddup was “very distressed by the call”. Prison staff were not aware of the conversation.

Following his recall, Waddup was initially held at HMP Durham, where he was referred to mental health services. He was transferred to HMP Northumberland on November 1, 2019 before being assessed.

The watchdog found that serious failures in healthcare processes meant Waddup was never assessed by mental health services despite multiple referrals and a self-referral shortly before his death.

The report said: “The nurse who screened him when he first arrived did not review his medical records or pick up on the outstanding mental health referral.” As a result, it took 12 days for a referral to be made at Northumberland.

After repeated unsuccessful attempts to contact him by telephone and letter, Waddup was discharged from the mental health caseload without being seen.

On 5 December 2019, eight days before his death, he self-referred for mental health support. The Ombudsman found he was not triaged or assessed within expected timescales.

The Ombudsman concluded that the care provided was “of a mixed standard, so not equivalent to that he would have received in the community”, and described the failure to assess him after his self-referral as “a significant missed opportunity to offer support to him”.

Waddup was found dead in his cell by suicide at 5.48am. Prison staff initially did not enter his cell because they believed there were insufficient staff present, despite national policy stating that preservation of life must take precedence over security.

Prisons and Probation Ombudsman Sue McAllister said: “I am very concerned that staff did not consider going into Mr Waddup’s cell immediately after they discovered that he was hanging.”

She warned that although the delay did not affect the outcome in this case, it “could be crucial” in other emergencies.

The Ombudsman said this was not the first time staff at HMP Northumberland had failed to follow national guidance on entering cells during life-threatening emergencies.

The inquest into Waddup’s death concluded on August 10, 2022, with a verdict of suicide.

HM Senior Coroner Andrew Hetherington said the evidence revealed “a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken”, citing failures in mental health referral processes, discharge without assessment, and delays in responding to urgent self-referrals.

HMP Northumberland accepted all recommendations made by the Ombudsman. A prison spokesperson said: “Our thoughts continue to be with the family of Mr Waddup.

“Alongside our healthcare partner, Spectrum, we cooperated fully with the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman’s investigation, accepted the recommendations made and are working together to implement the agreed actions.”