A man convicted of raping three women in London died in a Cambridgeshire prison after refusing food and losing 30 kilograms. Lawrence Dugbazah received an Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence for sexual offenses in 2010 and served ten years before being returned to prison in March 2022 due to allegations of additional sexual offenses.
At HMP Thameside, Dugbazah, a prisoner from Peckham, south London, stopped eating, prompting staff to implement ACCT (anti-suicide and self-harm) protocols. He informed the staff that ACCT monitoring would cease if he was given a diet suitable for his Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), which was arranged with the kitchen.
When he was transferred to HMP Littlehey, which is close to Huntingdon in November 2022. His weight was 90 kg. A report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) into his death stated that upon his arrival, he stated that, “he was facing a life sentence, saw no point in living and would refuse all food and drink.”
Dugbazah referred to mental health services and ACCT monitoring by HMP Littlehey staff. Foods that complied with Mr. Dugbazah’s requested diet were supplied. But he refused to eat them.” According to the PPO report.
When medical personnel came to check on Dugbazah. He occasionally refused to have clinical observations made or to provide samples of his blood and urine. A food refusal care plan, that specified that “daily GP visits should take place after day 3 of food refusal. That a psychiatrist referral should be made by day 10 and that an urgent review should take place, if weight loss was greater than 10%” was implemented by staff on December 15.
The report from the PPO stated: “No psychiatrist referral was made and no urgent review took place, (this was day 27 and Mr Dugbazah had lost almost 20% of his body weight).” When a nurse and a palliative care consultant, saw Dugbazah on January 3, 2023. They placed a Do Not Resuscitate order per his wishes.
A few minutes after, lunch on January 6 staff discovered Dugbazah on the toilet and checked on him. It “slumped against the wall and appeared vacant.” When a prison officer discovered him. Less than two o’clock in the afternoon on January 6, 2023 paramedics declared him dead at age 38.
The PPO report stated, “The post-mortem report concluded that Mr. Dugbazah died from heart disease.” “Weight loss was listed as a contributory factor.” He had dropped thirty kilograms, since coming to HMP Littlehey.
According to the PPO report, when Dugbazah first arrived at HMP Littlehey, prison staff neglected to recommend, that he get a mental health evaluation. It further stated: “The plan did not carry out important tasks and the healthcare staff took a long time to start a food refusal care plan.
The referral to a psychiatrist was delayed by 35 days. So Mr. Dugbazah was not evaluated before his passing.” To guarantee that staff members are aware of how to handle inmates. Who refuse food or liquids the report suggested, “A policy regarding food and drink refusal should be developed by the head of healthcare.”
