HMP Wandsworth prisoner death inquiry finds failings

Prison staff at HMP Wandsworth failed to take "any meaningful" steps to prevent a prisoner from taking his own life, a watchdog has concluded. Aleksandras Maslennikovas, aged 47, was discovered unresponsive in his cell on 17 July 2023.

A report from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman found that suicide and self-harm monitoring protocols, known as ACCT, were closed for Mr Maslennikovas just 16 hours after they were initiated. This occurred five days before his death.

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Background to the Death

Mr Maslennikovas had been remanded to HMP Wandsworth on 14 June 2022, following an arrest warrant issued in Lithuania for armed robbery. ACCT monitoring began for him after he self-harmed on 12 July. The ombudsman's report noted there was no evidence that formal interpreting services were used for Mr Maslennikovas, despite him having limited English. He had told staff he harmed himself due to threats from other Lithuanian prisoners on his wing.

Staff discontinued the ACCT monitoring the following morning, stating he had indicated he would not self-harm again and was no longer under threat. The ombudsman found it unclear if staff had investigated the nature of the threat or how it was resolved so quickly, or if they had considered his known risk factors.

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Mr Maslennikovas had multiple risk factors for suicide and self-harm, including being a foreign national prisoner, awaiting extradition, a history of mental ill-health, self-harm, and substance misuse, with no contact from his family. Healthcare staff did not attend his ACCT review and did not appear to have assessed his mental health since his self-harm incident, the watchdog reported.

In the days leading up to his death, Mr Maslennikovas exhibited unusual behaviour, including burning paper and damaging his cell, and requested a move to a different wing. The ombudsman found no evidence that staff considered reopening ACCT monitoring for him. He was moved to another wing on 15 July, which was described as volatile, with prisoners reporting feeling unsafe.

Mr Maslennikovas was found unresponsive in his cell on 17 July and was pronounced dead by paramedics at 9.37am. The ombudsman stated: "While we have not seen any particular evidence to suggest that he was in crisis in the hours before his death, nor have we seen any particular evidence that staff had taken steps to properly assess his risk at any time before that. We do not consider that staff took steps to support Mr Maslennikovas or prevent his death in any meaningful way."

Prison Concerns

Mr Maslennikovas was the fourteenth prisoner to die by suicide at HMP Wandsworth since January 2020. As of the end of November 2024, five more prisoners had died by suicide. The prison has been identified as requiring additional support due to its high number of suicides, a high-profile escape, and an urgent notice regarding poor conditions issued in May 2024. Inspectors found high and rising self-harm rates, with approximately 40 per cent of cell bells not answered within five minutes.

The ombudsman noted that the prison had acknowledged failures in Mr Maslennikovas' case management and had begun work to address the issues. A Prison Service spokesperson stated that HMP Wandsworth has enhanced care for vulnerable prisoners following this case. Improvements include better support for new prisoners and ensuring staff receive a daily list of those at risk for proper supervision.

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, which provides healthcare services at the prison, has been contacted for comment.