Prisoner's drug death followed housing search failure
A man was found dead from a drug overdose after his request for temporary accommodation following his release from jail was not accepted, a report has said.
Ged Corbett, 28, was found dead in London on 19 August 2023 after having applied to be housed in York following his release from HMP Thameside three days earlier, according to the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman report.
His request to be given accommodation from the day of his release was turned down by City of York Council as a week’s notice was needed due to his sexual offence convictions.
The report found that while Mr Corbett was "suitably prepared" for his release, the council "may want to be aware of the issues raised in this case".
High risk
The ombudsman's report outlined that Mr Corbett was first sentenced to a community order for sexual offences and placed on the sexual offenders’ register on 9 August 2022, before then being sentenced to 34 weeks at HMP Hull for assault on 13 February 2023.
He was released on 19 April, but just days later on 26 April, he was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison at HMP Thameside in Greenwich for failing to comply with the requirements of the sexual offences order.
Mr Corbett had a history of substance misuse, the ombudsman said, adding that “the prison substance misuse service saw him regularly and warned him of the risks associated with drug-taking and he remained under their care until he was released”.
Upon his release, Mr Corbett told his community offender manager that he wished to be released to Woolwich where he had family support and job opportunities.
However, the community offender manager found Mr Corbett had outstanding allegations of domestic abuse against him in the area, so it was deemed unsuitable for him to return there, the report said.
The community offender manager and another senior member of staff agreed that Mr Corbett’s risk level should be increased to high, and he would benefit from living in an approved premises after being released, to support him being integrated back into the community.
A referral was sent to a premises in York where Mr Corbett had previously lived, but it emerged there was no space for him on the dates requested.
Prison recall
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a request for temporary accommodation in York was then made on behalf of Mr Corbett, but the city council required at least seven days' notice to house individuals with sexual offence convictions.
Mr Corbett was released from HMP Thameside on 16 August with a supply of naloxone - medication that can reverse the effects of a drugs overdose - and training information on how to safely administer it.
He was assigned a City of York Council housing officer on the day he was released, but he did not attend his initial appointment, the ombudsman's report said.
His community offender manager was unable to contact him as he did not have a mobile phone and Mr Corbett was recalled to prison after not making contact within 24 hours of his release.
However, he was found dead in London on 19 August, with a post-mortem examination report finding he had died of acute respiratory depression and coma due to heroin toxicity.
An inquest in January this year also concluded his death was drug-related.
'Suitable accomodation'
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman noted in his report that Mr Corbett had a history of substance misuse, and found he had received appropriate treatment during his time at HMP Thameside before being transferred to a community substance misuse service on his release.
The report added that Mr Corbett’s community offender manage had liaised with external support agencies and completed the relevant housing referrals to local authorities and housing agencies due to him being homeless after being released.
The ombudsman added: "The provision of suitable accommodation for people leaving prison is an issue that extends beyond the remit of Thameside or local probation services, and the local authority may want to be aware of the issues raised in this case."
A spokesperson from Serco, which operates HMP Thameside, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We were saddened to learn of the death of Mr Corbett, who we supported during his time at HMP Thameside. Our thoughts are with his family and those who knew him.”
The BBC has contacted City of York Council for a response.
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