An investigation is underway after a young woman was found dead in prison on Christmas Eve.
Alex Davies, who goes by the name Ashley, was found unresponsive at the women’s jail in Styal on December 24. The death is now being probed by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO)
A spokesperson said: “”I can confirm that the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman are investigating the death of Ms Alex Davies at HMP Styal on December 24. We offer our sincerest condolences to her friends and family.”
A friend of Ms Davies, who told the ECHO of her death, said she had been on remand at the prison for around two months. The friend claimed this was the first time Ms Davies had been in prison.
In a statement, the Ministry of Justice said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of HMP/YOI Styal prisoner, Alex Davies, who sadly died on Tuesday 24 December. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”
Ms Davies’ death comes months after a damning report was published about the Cheshire prison. A Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection at the women’s prison flagged “dirty” and “unsafe” healthcare services, prompting inspectors to issue three warning notices for multiple breaches of the Health and Social Care Act.
The report highlighted staff shortages; inadequate training; medication distribution errors; subpar cleanliness and staff claiming a “culture of bullying”. Spectrum Community Healthcare CIC, which is responsible for healthcare provision at HMP and YOI Styal – and 14 other prisons across the UK – responded to the findings by saying the company is “committed to addressing all identified areas for improvement”.
The spokesperson said: “At the time of the unannounced inspection, Spectrum had already initiated a comprehensive action plan through a transformation board in collaboration with the women in our care and HMPPS. This plan includes local and NHS England transformation action plans, as well as a peer CQC self-assessment outcomes guiding our quality improvement efforts.”
A follow up inspection at the prison, which houses 450 women, recognised improvements in relation to the management of medicines, staffing levels, infection control and governance. The prison is known for a high turnover of inmates and a short average stay. The prison population includes those on remand, sentenced prisoners, recalled prisoners and pregnant women.
The most recent report by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, published in January 2022 concluded that safety at the prison was “reasonably good”. In March this year, former inmates at the prison told a BBC investigation the prison was “no place for a vulnerable young woman” and was “hell on earth”. According to the PPO website, there are a number of separate investigations into deaths at the prison.
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