THOMAS MCELLIN: CUMBRIA'S DARK PAST AND HIS TRAGIC END IN HARRABY PRISON

In April 2023, the tragic death of Thomas Peter McEllin, a convicted sex offender with a long and disturbing criminal history, was confirmed while he was incarcerated at HMP Leyhill. McEllin, who had previously been convicted of heinous crimes including sexual assault and malicious wounding, died in prison after refusing treatment for his diagnosed lung cancer.

Thomas McEllin’s criminal record is marked by a series of violent and sexual offenses spanning several decades. His most notorious conviction came in 2000, when he was sentenced to nine years in prison for raping two schoolgirls. During that case, it was revealed that he had repeatedly assaulted his victims over an 11-year period, with one of the girls becoming pregnant as a result of his abuse. At the time, McEllin was residing in Blackpool, where he was staying at the Winter Water homeless shelter, but he later moved to Harraby in Cumbria.

His criminal activities and subsequent convictions led to an indeterminate sentence for public protection handed down in September 2010. This sentence was imposed after he was found guilty of sexual assault, breaching a sex offenders’ order, and malicious wounding. The sentence included a minimum tariff of 30 months, but McEllin’s dangerous history meant he was kept in custody indefinitely to protect the public.

Throughout his time in prison, McEllin was transferred between various facilities before arriving at HMP Leyhill in March 2020. At the age of 72, he was registered as blind, used a wheelchair, and had a significant medical history that included heart disease, strokes, and a recent heart attack. In May 2020, he underwent medical examinations after reporting shortness of breath, which led to the discovery of abnormalities on an ECG. Further investigations confirmed that he was suffering from lung cancer.

Following his diagnosis, prison authorities applied for his release on a special purpose license in June 2020, citing the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for him to shield in the community. However, due to his lack of family support and the unavailability of suitable accommodation at approved premises, the application was rejected by the prison governor and his offender manager. McEllin expressed to doctors that if his cancer could not be cured, he did not wish to undergo treatment. He passed away in September 2020 after suffering a stroke, with his death attributed to aspiration pneumonia caused by the stroke, compounded by his lung cancer.

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman published a report last month revealing that McEllin was the sixth inmate to die at HMP Leyhill since September 2018. The report detailed his medical journey, including the diagnosis of metastatic lung cancer with a prognosis of only a few months. It also highlighted the challenges faced in providing adequate care and the circumstances surrounding his final days, including his admission to hospital after being found weak and struggling to speak in his cell. Despite efforts to secure his release on compassionate grounds, the hospital was unable to confirm a definitive diagnosis or prognosis until late August, when it was confirmed that his cancer had metastasized.

McEllin’s death marked the end of a life marred by violence and criminality. His earlier offenses included a violent attack in Carlisle in July 2010, where he used a hammer in a sex assault on a woman. During that incident, he was accused of causing grievous bodily harm and sexually assaulting her, though he later pleaded guilty only to sexual assault and unlawful wounding. His criminal history also includes a series of convictions for indecent assault, with his earliest known offense dating back to when he was just 17 years old. His defense in 2000 claimed that McEllin had been subjected to repeated abuse as a child and had lived a solitary, troubled life, often on the streets of Blackpool or in hostels, battling alcoholism since his teenage years.

Throughout his life, McEllin’s violent tendencies and sexual offenses left a trail of victims and a community haunted by his actions. His case underscores the complexities of managing dangerous offenders within the criminal justice system and the tragic consequences when health issues intersect with long-standing criminal behavior.