Third UK prisoner dies in custody after catching coronavirus

A third inmate has died after testing positive for Covid-19, as UK ministers face increasing pressure to release prisoners to combat the spread of the virus. The 77-year-old man, who was serving his sentence at HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire, died on Friday.

He is the second inmate to have died from the Category C sex offenders’ male prison. The first was convicted paedophile Edwin Hillier, who died on March 22, just 48 hours after he was rushed from his cell to hospital.

The 84-year-old had underlying health issues. A 66-year-old man who was serving at HMP Manchester, became the second prisoner to die on March 26. He had been receiving end-of-life care for an underlying condition before he tested positive for Covid-19.

A Prison Service spokesperson said on Wednesday: ‘A 77-year-old HMP Littlehey prisoner died in hospital on March 27. Our condolences are with his family at this time. ‘As with all deaths in custody, there will be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.’