A prisoner convicted of manslaughter died in a North East prison the day after his compassionate leave was refused, a new report has revealed. 

Terence Lockhart, 58, was convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to life imprisonment in June 1988, and moved to Stockton's Holme House prison in early December 2021. 

But only days after his arrival in the prison, he began complaining of abdominal pain and showing signs of sickness. 

A new report from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO), concluded that Bishop died from metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) on July 14, 2022. 

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The clinical reviewer from the PPO said that the care Lockhart received in Holme House prison was equivalent to what he would have received in the community, and did not note any areas for improvement. 

Mr Lockhart was the eleventh prisoner to die at Holme House since July 2020. Of the previous deaths, seven were from natural causes and three were self-inflicted.

On December 23, a prison doctor saw Lockhart after he reported abdominal pain, vomiting and loss of appetite. The doctor arranged blood tests.

But when the results came back as abnormal, the doctor arranged to repeat blood tests the following week. These showed an improvement and healthcare staff recorded that no further action was needed.

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In spite of a clean sheet of results, Lockhard complained that he could feel a lump in his abdomen on December 31, for which a CT scan was arranged. The scan was completed on February 8, 2022. 

This scan found masses in his liver, and further investigations were needed to provide a diagnosis. Tests confirmed that he had cancer on April 14, and a month later Lockhart was told his illness was terminal, with less than three months to live. 

On June 10, the prison submitted an application for Mr Lockhart’s early release on compassionate grounds to the Public Protection Casework Section (PPCS) of HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS). 

Though prison and healthcare staff encouraged Lockhart to consider moving to a hospice, he refused as he wanted to be released to his brother’s address on compassionate grounds. On 13 July, he agreed to move to a hospice, but by the time the prison had authorised this later that day, he was too weak to be moved.

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Whilst in the palliative suite at Holme Hose, Lockhart’s application for early release on compassionate grounds was refused on 13 July. He was notified of the decision on 14 July, the day of his death.

He died in the palliative care suite at Holme House on 14 July at 10.38 pm. 

There was no post-mortem, and the inquest into Mr Lockhart’s death concluded that Mr Lockhart died from natural causes.