A MURDERER serving a life sentence killed himself at HMP Isle of Wight after stockpiling drugs for an overdose.

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman found failings in his care, and an inquest found numerous failings by the prison and its healthcare service Practice Plus Group.

Duncan MacNeil died in his cell on 24 October, 2019, after taking an overdose of painkillers, which he had stockpiled after being prescribed. He was 54.

He had stabbed a punk rocker to death at a London railway station in 1982 and later absconded three times from open prisons. 

In prison, MacNeil had longstanding thoughts of suicide and was well supported in his first few months at HMP IW, when he moved there in 2017.

Isle of Wight prison's failures over murderer's death

However, operational and healthcare staff did not share information, or review his risk after a series of negative events, such as a refusal to grant him parole, the ombudsman report said.

The failure to share important information and failures in clinical procedures enabled MacNeil to stockpile drugs.

After a previous death at HMP IW in similar circumstances, the prison had reviewed all prisoners who had been prescribed potentially toxic prescription drugs.

Given that MacNeil was still able to stockpile his medication, the measures were found to be "clearly inadequate" and "needed to be more robust" according to the ombudsman.

Ombudsman's report over Isle of Wight prisoner's suicide

The report said: "As we have found previously at HMP IW, staff did not comply with the requirement to check the welfare of prisoners when their cells are unlocked.

"I am also concerned that Mr MacNeil did not have meetings with his key worker for around six months, during a particularly difficult period."

It continued: "On October 24, Mr MacNeil did not collect his lunch and no one checked the reason for this. At 1.57pm, an officer found Mr MacNeil unresponsive in his cell.

"Resuscitation was not attempted as rigor mortis had set in (meaning he had been dead for some hours) and a prison GP confirmed his death at 2.05pm."

Recommendations have been made to the prison, to reduce the risk of overdoses happening again.

An inquest was heard by a jury over two weeks at the Isle of Wight Crown Court. It concluded MacNeil died of suicide.

Who was murderer Duncan MacNeil?

MacNeil was convicted of murder on October 8, 1982, and sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of ten years.

Between 1992 and 2017, he was released and recalled several times. He also absconded three times from open prisons, making the national news in 2007 when he went missing. He spent over seven years at large.

He was convicted of assault and threats to kill in 2017 and sent to HMP IW.

How many recent deaths have happened in HMP Isle of Wight?

MacNeil’s death was the 16th at HMP IW since October 2017. Of those previously investigated, 13 were from natural causes and two were self-inflicted.

There have been three further deaths, two self-inflicted and one natural causes.

The following organisations offer free and confidential support over the phone:

  • Samaritans -116 123 24 hour support, every day of the year www.samaritans.org
  • Papyrus  0800 068 41 41. Text 0778 620 9697 – prevention of young suicide www.papyrus-uk.org
  • Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) – 0800 58 58 58, 5pm – midnight. Dedicated to preventing male suicide www.thecalmzone.net
  • Mind - 0300 123 3393. Advises on a range of mental health issues www.mind.org.uk  
  • Young Minds - 0808 802 5544. Supports any adult worried about a child’s welfare www.youngminds.org.uk
  • The Mix - 0808 808 4994. Helpline for people under the age of 25 www.themix.org.uk
  • The Isle of Wight Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team - 01983 522214