ROBERT STEPHENS: REPORT INTO DEATH OF BASINGSTOKE PAEDOPHILE
A former school caretaker named Robert Stephens, who was previously convicted of eight counts of historical sex offences dating back to 1974, has died in prison.Stephens, who resided in St Michael’s Road, South Ham, was sentenced to 12 years at Winchester Crown Court in January 2018 for abusing a girl over a period of eight years, starting when she was a child and continuing until she was a teenager.
The abuse was described as 'eight horrendous years.' He was 80 years old at the time of sentencing.
An independent investigation into his death, which occurred on May 28, 2021, at HMP The Verne in Dorset, concluded that he died of bilateral bronchopneumonia, with cachexia contributing to his death.
The report highlighted that Stephens was not well cared for in his final months, which negatively affected prison staff and revealed systemic failures in safeguarding, communication, and managing prisoners with complex health needs.
The investigation found that the care provided to Stephens from April 2021 until his death was not comparable to what he could have expected in the community and criticized the decision to keep him in a dormitory despite his deteriorating health.
Concerns were raised about the impact of his condition on fellow prisoners and staff, with healthcare staff expressing their upset at being unable to meet his needs.
Systemic issues such as poor communication, inadequate supervision, and failure to transfer him to a more suitable location were major points of criticism.
The report made several recommendations, all accepted by HMPPS, including earlier transfer for prisoners with terminal diagnoses and better safeguarding policies.
The report also highlighted systemic shortfalls at The Verne, which has been under scrutiny for multiple prisoner deaths, though none were similar to Stephens’ in cause.
The authorities have stated that they have improved procedures and training following his death.
