A paedophile, locked up for life for his heinous crimes, was found hanging in his cell just weeks into his sentence.
David Hough was found with a ligature around his neck in his cell at HMP Hull on March 26, 2020.
Despite the best efforts of prison staff and emergency services, the 56-year-old was declared dead soon after.
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An investigation has now concluded that there was nothing more staff could not have prevented Hough from hanging himself.
Hough was jailed over an appalling catalogue of sex attacks on three boys.
He was also guilty of sharing hundreds of sick child abuse images with like-minded paedophiles online.
The predator also admitted to nine counts of rape, other indecent assault, and engaging in sexual activity with a child between 1996 and 2019.
(Image: Grimsby Telegraph / MEN Media)
His crimes took place across Essex and North Lincolnshire.
Hough was arrested at his home in Scunthorpe after the National Crime Agency identified an indecent image he had uploaded online.
A search was carried out and officers uncovered electronic devices, memory cards, disks and storage devices holding more than 1000 indecent images of
Officers also uncovered indecent footage of a sexual nature involving children.
DC Ali Cunningham, from Humberside Police’s Internet Sex Offenders team, described Hough’s crimes as “deplorable” and “abhorrent”.
At the time, he said: “Hough is a perverted and abhorrent child sex offender who preyed on vulnerable young children, grooming them so that he could commit deplorable actions without anyone knowing.”
Following Hough’s suicide, an investigation was launched by the Prison Ombudsman.
(Image: Peter Harbour)
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The paedophile was remanded to HMP Hull while he waited for sentencing.
During that time prison staff had started suicide and self-harm prevention procedures (known as ACCT) after raising concern over Hough’s “low mood”.
He was assigned a “care buddy” to help him with cleaning his cell and collecting his meals.
Hough remained under ACCT supervision for several months after two acts of self-harm and expressing thoughts of suicide.
In February 2020, Hough received discretionary life sentences for multiple sexual offences with a minimum period of 10 years.
He was found dead in March 2020, shortly after his ACCT plan was closed.
His case manager said the decision was made due to improved mood, additional support in place and that Hough seemed stable.
Prisons Ombudsman Sue McAllister found there were no concerns with the clinical care and management of Hough.
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