The death of David Venables has been investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, who has made no recommendations following the review.
Venables, a former pig farmer, was convicted in 2002 of the murder of his wife, Brenda Venables, aged 48. He concealed her body in an underground septic tank on their 440-acre farm in Kempsey. Mrs Venables was reported missing days later, but her remains were not discovered for 37 years, until the tank was emptied in July 2019.
Venables was arrested three weeks later and charged with murder, which he denied in court, instead blaming serial killer Fred West. He was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Venables died at HMP Stoke Heath on December 16, 2024, aged 92. The cause of death was recorded as pneumonia. He also suffered from urothelial cancer, obstructive uropathy, and diabetes mellitus, which were noted as contributing factors but not the direct cause of death.
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman Adrian Usher confirmed that Venables’ death was subject to a routine independent investigation. Venables’ next of kin were informed and given the opportunity to raise any concerns but did not do so, requesting only a copy of the final report.
An independent clinical reviewer found that the healthcare provided to Venables was of a good standard and equivalent to that which he would have received in the community. The review also noted effective communication between prison healthcare staff, the Marie Curie palliative care team, and staff at HMP Stafford.
A separate review of non-clinical matters found no issues or learning points. No factual inaccuracies were identified in the initial report, and the Ombudsman made no recommendations.
