Specialist Legal Support for Bereaved Families

We are experts in helping families secure justice and accountability after the death of a loved one in prison. Prison deaths can be particularly traumatic for family members and often raises serious questions about the lack of care provided by the state.

We will ensure that you remain at the heart of the process and are in as much control as you can be at this exceptionally difficult time.

We recognise that every bereaved family and every case is different, and we will tailor our advice and support to your needs.

How We Can Help

The families we have represented have lost a father, mother, brother, sister, son or daughter while imprisoned by the state. Often their death is thought to be self-inflicted but that does not necessarily mean they intended to die. They may have been murdered by another prisoner, or their death may be due to drug misuse, an illness or following the use of force.

Most deaths in prison are likely to engage Article 2 of European Convention on Human Rights - which protects the fundamental right to life. Article 2 inquests have a wide scope and must consider the broader circumstances of the death including systemic issues and whether the state failed in its duty to protect someone in its care.

We work closely with organisations like INQUEST, and all our lawyers are members of the INQUEST Lawyers Group (ILG).

We have been instructed in cases involving most of the UK’s prisons. Our particular expertise includes:

• Deaths of women in prison
• Deaths of men held in high security prisons
• Deaths of men on remand
• Deaths of people serving IPP sentences
• Deaths of people held in private prisons
• Deaths following discrimination
• People who have been unlawfully killed in prison

What to Expect After a Death in Prison

The legal process typically begins with an inquest, which the coroner will open and then adjourn while investigations are carried out by bodies such as:

• Police
• Prison and Probation Ombudsman (PPO)
• Prisons' healthcare provider

They will look at documents and talk to staff who had dealings with your loved one. They will present their findings in a report and may make recommendations to the establishment to make improvements. A copy of the initial report will be sent to you and the prison and the coroner. You will be invited to comment on the report, and we can help you with this.

The coroner will usually use the reports to help them identify the issues that the inquest will need to address. We will make representations on your behalf to ensure that the issues that concern you are at the forefront of the coroner’s mind.

The inquest may be held before a jury who will assess the evidence to determine how your loved one died, and whether any failings by prison or healthcare staff contributed to their death.

Where a coroner believes systemic failings contributed to a death, they will send a Report to Prevent Future Deaths to all the relevant parties highlighting what changes they need to make.

Beyond the Inquest: Securing Accountability

As well as supporting you through the inquest, our solicitors can also in other ways. We can take legal action to ensure those responsible for the death are held accountable through criminal and/or disciplinary proceedings; seek compensation; and secure policy changes.

Legal Aid and Funding

If you are on a low income or receive means-tested benefits, you may qualify for legal aid to cover inquest-related legal advice. Where Article 2 may be engaged, legal aid is available regardless of financial means.

Get expert advice

Please complete our new enquiries form and a specialist solicitor will review your case. We aim to respond within two working days.

If you’d prefer to speak with someone, please call us on 020 7407 0007 and mention that your enquiry relates to a death or inquest.