JAMES BALDWIN'S TRAGIC END AT LITTLEHEY PRISON NEAR HUNTINGDON: A FINAL FAREWELL TO A TERMINALLY ILL SEX OFFENDER

In August 2019, the somber details of the death of James Baldwin, an 81-year-old sex offender, emerged following an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his passing at HMP Littlehey, located near Huntingdon. Baldwin, who was serving a 15-year sentence for his crimes, succumbed to a blood clot after a fall from his bed in his prison cell, an incident that has raised questions about the care and safety protocols within the facility.

According to the findings of the Prisons & Probation Ombudsman, Baldwin’s health was severely compromised due to an incurable form of blood cancer. He had been receiving treatment at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, a nearby medical facility, for his ongoing health issues. On the morning of August 6, 2018, at approximately 5:30 am, a prison officer discovered Baldwin lying on the floor of his cell, naked and soaked in his own urine. Despite the fall, Baldwin was conscious and repeatedly uttered the word “hello,” indicating some level of awareness.

The officer, upon finding Baldwin in this state, moved to the prison office to call for assistance. She chose to remain outside his cell, communicating with him through the observation panel, citing concerns about decency and her own safety. It was noted that she did not enter the cell herself at this point, waiting instead for additional staff to arrive. After about 15 minutes, four staff members entered Baldwin’s cell, but the initial officer explained she had stayed outside for “decency reasons.”

During this interaction, Baldwin was conscious but appeared to have difficulty communicating verbally. Instead, he responded to questions with thumbs-up or thumbs-down gestures. He confirmed that he was not experiencing any pain, and staff reassured him that someone would check on him later. However, at 6:15 am, the same officer found Baldwin had fallen from his bed once more. He was lying on the floor, with his eyes open and breathing, but not looking directly at her. She again called for assistance and remained outside, engaging in conversation with him.

Tragically, after approximately ten minutes, Baldwin stopped breathing. An ambulance was summoned immediately, but the officer continued to stay outside his cell, unable to enter due to protocol and her own safety concerns. Baldwin was declared dead at 7:15 am that morning. The investigation revealed that the officer, a lone female working in a wing housing male sex offenders, expressed concerns about her safety should she enter the cell alone. She also stated that she lacked medical training, which limited her ability to provide any immediate aid had she entered.

Standard prison procedures dictate that a cell should only be opened with at least two or three staff members present to ensure safety and proper care. However, the report clarified that the preservation of life takes precedence, especially when there is no immediate danger to staff or others. The Ombudsman, Elizabeth Moody, in her report published on July 31, highlighted the difficulty in understanding why the officer did not enter the cell when Baldwin appeared to have stopped breathing. While acknowledging her lack of first aid training and the presence of a Do Not Resuscitate (DNACPR) order, she suggested that more could have been done to make Baldwin comfortable and allow him to die with dignity.

When a trained staff member arrived, they checked for signs of life but found none, and due to the DNR order, did not initiate CPR. Ms. Moody emphasized that the officer on duty should have been briefed at the start of her shift about Baldwin’s terminal illness, frailty, and nearing end-of-life status. Concerns were also raised regarding Baldwin’s treatment after his initial cancer diagnosis, specifically instances where he was restrained during hospital escorts despite being a wheelchair user due to his poor mobility. The report indicated that such restraints were disproportionate given his deteriorating health and limited mobility.

Recommendations from the investigation included clearer guidance for prison staff on managing seriously ill prisoners, particularly during out-of-hours periods when healthcare professionals are not present. It also suggested that escort risk assessments should explicitly consider the prisoner’s current health status and mobility limitations, ensuring that staff are better informed and prepared to handle such sensitive situations appropriately.