Sunderland paedophile died in jail less than a week after latest court sentence

Brian Daniels, who sexually assaulted girls in Sunderland and Newcastle, was nearing the end of an 18-year term when he was imprisoned for further six years and nine months on September 21 last year after more victims came forward.

A fatal incident report was compiled by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman after the 74-year-old former bus driver died in Durham Prison’s health care wing on September 27.

It tells how he regularly refused food and medical treatment while in jail and eventually died of a stroke with chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes listed by a prison doctor as contributory factors.

Louise Richards, the assistant ombudsman, wrote: “Throughout his time in prison, Mr Daniels regularly refused food and medical treatments, including going to hospital.

"This was sometimes a form of protest, but more frequently he said it was because he wanted to hasten his death. He said on many occasions that he wanted to die in prison.

"In 2020, Mr Daniels’ health deteriorated. A significant contributory factor was his increasing resistance to all forms of treatments, including refusals to go to hospital on several occasions.

"On 12 August, he agreed to go to hospital after falling ill. However, once there he refused treatment and said once more that he wanted to die.

"On 21 August, prison and healthcare staff met with hospital staff, including palliative care consultants at the hospital.

"Mr Daniels had requested that all care should stop and his carers agreed that he had the mental capacity to make that decision.

"He returned to prison on 24 August, under a palliative care treatment plan (care with the focus on optimising the quality of life and reducing suffering).”

The report notes that Daniels, who was also known as Hildreth and was of no fixed address, was the 16th prisoner to die at Durham Prison in two years.

It adds: “Four of the previous deaths were from natural causes, eight were self-inflicted, two were drug-related and one awaits classification.”

The report found “no non-clinical issues of concern” and also said: “The clinical reviewer concluded that overall the clinical care Mr Daniels received at Durham was equivalent to that which he could have expected to receive in the community.”

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