Family of prisoner involved in fatal robbery weren't told he was seriously ill with cancer for 4 months

A Prisons and Probation Service (PPO) report has been issued into the death of 37-year-old Nathan Walters, who had been imprisoned for his part in a fatal Manchester florist robbery in 2011.

The robbery took place at a florists in Old Trafford, where Walters was part of a foursome who confronted shopowner Cecil Coley, 72, with guns and a knife as he locked up. During the robbery, one of the gang -Gary Mullings, 30, of New Moston - was fatally stabbed by the shopowner. Mr Coley was later arrested on suspicion of his murder, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided he acted in self-defence.

Walters was ordered to serve a minimum of five years and seven months for robbery and assaults with intent to rob.

What happened to Nathan Walters?

On May 27, 2022, Nathan Walters was transferred from HMP Kirkham to HMP Lancaster Farms, and after months several incidents of feeling breathless, weak and dizzy, was seen by a paramedic who asked for an urgent GP review.

On September 7, Mr Walters was admitted to hospital as blood tests showed he had severe anaemia. Mr Walters told a nurse that he did not want his family to be informed about his health at that time. He had a blood transfusion and was diagnosed with a malignant tumour in the bowel and a pulmonary embolism (a blood clot blocking a vessel in the lungs).

On September 15, Mr Walters had surgery to remove the tumour and was released back to Lancaster Farms five days later. On September 22, Mr Walters told a GP operating at Lancaster Farms that he had not told his family about the tumour as he wanted to see what treatment the oncologist recommended.

On October 10, a nurse contacted the hospital, who advised that Mr Walters’ tumour was advanced and had spread. They told her that Mr Walters needed chemotherapy to manage the cancer. On October 11, a multidisciplinary meeting took place to discuss Mr Walters’ condition. A care plan was agreed to support his cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy. A GP operating at the prison saw Mr Walters and advised him to talk to his family about the diagnosis. On 14 October, Mr Walters told his keyworker that he had talked to his family about his illness.

By February 2023, Mr Walter’s condition had declined and his cancer had spread, despite chemotherapy. He was given a prognosis of months to live. He was appointed a family liaison officer on February 15 and on March 28, was discharged to the 24-hour inpatient unit at HMP Preston while he waited for a hospice bed. An application for his early release on compassionate grounds was rejected by the Secretary of State on the basis of risk of harm to the public and insufficient evidence that imprisonment caused Mr Walters greater suffering as he was receiving 24-hour healthcare.

Mr Walters was transferred to a hospice on April 19, 2023, and died three days later, with his sister by his side. The doctor gave Mr Walters’ cause of death as disseminated cancer caused by colon cancer.

Findings

A report into the circumstances into Mr Walter’s death highlighted good practice in the healthcare team visiting Mr Walters while he was in hospital and in their commitment to attending multidisciplinary meetings after Mr Walters’ transfer to HMP Preston. However, it criticised the communication with his family over his health, stating: “Mr Walters was not allocated a family liaison officer until 15 February 2023, despite him becoming seriously ill on 10 October 2022. Subsequently, Lancaster Farms did not notify Mr Walters’ family of his condition until 15 February.”

The report adds that Lancaster Farms missed a second opportunity to contact Mr Walters’ family about his condition when palliative care was arranged for him on December 22, 2022, and states: “It is noted in the family liaison contact log that his sister was in shock about the seriousness of Mr Walters’ condition.”

The report continues: “While we note that Mr Walters told his keyworker that he had spoken to his family about his illness on 14 October 2022, a family liaison officer should have been appointed sooner to ensure Mr Walters’ family was given sufficient support and information about his health before his death.

“We make the following recommendation: The Governor should ensure that a family liaison officer is appointed when a prisoner becomes seriously ill and that appropriate arrangements are made to ensure early contact with families.”

Action plan

An action plan completed by the head of healthcare at HM Prison and Probation Service said that as of March 2024, the healthcare safety huddle have been responsible for informing the Duty Governor of any prisoners who are declared as terminally ill, end of life or have become seriously ill and, so that a Family Liaison Officer (FLO) can be appointed. HMP Lancaster Farms were set to have seven active FLO’s by the end of 2024.