Five deaths in eight days at HMP Frankland in County Durham

Investigations into each of their deaths are underway, with Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) Adrian Usher saying he will look at any "themes or any correlation among the deaths".

It is understood they are not directly linked.

Among the men who died were a Latvian man who raped and murdered a teenager days before her 18th birthday, and a man who killed his neighbour in Barnard Castle just three years ago.

The deaths occurred between December 17 and December 25.

HMP Frankland. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Mr Usher said: “We are aware of the recent deaths at HMP Frankland and are conducting investigations into each of them.

"In our death investigations, we consider findings from past and simultaneous investigations to look for themes or any correlation among the deaths, and my investigators are working together for these cases.

"The final investigation reports for each death will be made available on our website after each inquest concludes, should one be held”.

Inquests are listed to be opened into all five deaths in the coming weeks.

Murderer and rapist Viktors Dembovskis, 63, died on December 20.

He was serving three life sentences with a whole life tariff for the rape and murder of 17 year old schoolgirl Jeshma Raithatha near her west London home in 2005.

The Latvian was convicted in March 2006 after a unanimous jury verdict and would never have been eligible for release.

Stephen Ansbro, 63, died on December 17, less than three years into a life sentence for murder.

Stephen Ansbro, 63, died behind bars in HMP Frankland less than three years into his sentence (Image: Durham Police)

He inflicted 59 slash wounds with a bread knife on Jane Collinson, who desperately struggled to resist the attack as she sat on a chair in her Barnard Castle home in March 2023.

He then stabbed her in the face during a terrifying ordeal in her one-bedroom flat at Dunelm Court. The 59-year-old grandmother of nine's body was discovered by her concerned partner and son-in-law the next day.

Arthur Warwick, 67, died on Christmas Day while serving a life sentence imposed in 2016 for 29 child sex offences, including five rapes of children as young as nine.

Arthur Warwick (Image: Police photo)

He had a minimum term of 13 years and was described at sentencing as a sexual predator.

Paul Ellison, 54, died at the prison on December 19, the same day fellow inmate Thomas Spry, 38, died at University Hospital of North Durham.

All deaths, as with every death in custody, are under investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “The Prison and Probation Ombudsman investigates all deaths in custody.”