News Beat
Paedophile who abused children died in HMP Holme House
Thomas Reay died of bowel cancer at HMP Holme House on July 9 this year, aged 67, according to the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman said Reay had been sentenced in September 2024 to 21 years imprisonment for sexual offences and died from natural causes.
They carried out an independent investigation into Reay’s death, as required for all prisoner deaths.
The report said an NHS England commissioned independent clinical reviewer concluded that Reay’s clinical care at HMP Holme House “was of a good standard and was equivalent to that which he could have expected to receive in the community”.
The reviewer found that healthcare staff “responded promptly and proactively” to Reay’s needs and commended staff for sitting with him as he was dying, the report said.
A fellow prisoner also praised healthcare staff who “sat with and comforted Mr Reay at every opportunity” and prison staff who allowed other prisoners to sit with him during his final days, according to the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman said its investigator found no non-clinical issues of concern and made no recommendations.
At an inquest held on December 10, the Coroner concluded that Reay died from natural causes.
Reay’s death came less than a year after his crimes finally came to light. His offending only surfaced in late May 2024 when one victim, supported by the other, came forward after decades of silence.
At Durham Crown Court in September 2024, the 66-year-old defendant was sentenced as “an offender of particular concern”. Recorder Nicholas Lumley KC said Reay had put his “twisted sexual needs” above the mental health and well-being of his victims.
The Recorder said he had been told of the defendant’s “regret” but told Reay he could have admitted his crimes much earlier instead of waiting for his victims to come forward “at this point in all of their lives”.
When confronted, Reay provided a prepared statement in which he said he would not deny the allegations but would say no more.
In a victim statement, one of the abused pair said they had felt “worthless and dirty” and had contemplated self-harm. The other spoke of the “utter devastation” caused by the repeated abuse.
Recorder Lumley told Reay: “You inflicted severe psychological harm, detained your victims against their will and engaged in a campaign of sexual abuse.”
Reay admitted a 17-count indictment including six charges of rape, one of attempted rape and four charges of sexual penetration.
Reay died in prison before serving a year of his 21-year sentence.
