Former HMP Five Wells prisoner died of starvation in Croyland Gardens days after release
A sex offender was found dead in a Wellingborough park after he was released from HMP Five Wells in freezing weather.
Jason McDonagh, 36, was found in bushes in the town centre beauty spot on December 4, 2023, amid a period of extremely cold weather with temperatures dipping as low as -4C.
It has now emerged that McDonagh had been released from the nearby prison only three days earlier, on December 1.
A report from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman into his death has now confirmed he died of ketoacidosis, which is caused by starvation.
The ombudsman investigates all deaths that occur in custody, as well as those that occur within two weeks of prisoners being released.
Their report said that McDonagh had refused to access prison services available to prepare him for release into the community.
He had originally been jailed after sexually assaulting two little girls, resulting in one of them contracting chlamydia, as reported by thisisoxfordshire. But after his release in February 2023, he failed to tell police where he was living, and he was sent back to prison for 30 months.
He was transferred from HMP Bullingdon to Five Wells where he refused to speak to staff, instead nodding or using hand gestures. He was monitored by staff but never engaged with prison officers.
The prison tried to refer him to North Northamptonshire Council’s homeless team but he would not consent, so they couldn’t so so.
On December 1, 2023 he was released from Five Wells but failed to meet with his probation officer so his recall to custody was ordered.
He was discovered dead in Croyland Park by a member of the public on the evening of December 4. The corner closed her investigation two months later and said she would not hold an inquest.
The PPO report said: “We are satisfied that prison, probation and healthcare staff took all reasonable steps to get Mr McDonagh to engage both in the prison regime and to access the support and services available to him in prison and on release. He was considered to have the mental capacity to refuse mental health support and there was little staff could do except continue to encourage him to engage, which they did.
“Due to his persistent lack of engagement and consent, Mr McDonagh’s COM could not make referrals to the relevant agencies and as a result, Mr McDonagh was released from prison homeless. Homelessness on release from prison is a significant and complex challenge. This was particularly the case for Mr McDonagh who declined all the services and support potentially available to him (from healthcare to accommodation services) both in prison and to prepare him for release into the community.”