The Prison Service has apologised for bungling the details of a prisoner who died and informing the wrong family.
Mohammed Ahmed, 46, took his own life at HMP Frankland maximum security prison in Durham in March last year.
Ahmed was serving an indefinite sentence after attempting to murder his wife and later attacking a probation officer, and had served ten years in prison.
He didn’t phone his family during his time in prison, but authorities did have his father’s details as an approved contact.
After his death, a family liaison officer was appointed, and she tried to check the next of kin details against the last family visit Ahmed had received in 2023.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.
Police in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, were then sent to what was believed to be his next of kin’s address at around on March 13 – but had the wrong information.
The address was actually that of a different prisoner with the same name, who was in a separate facility.
The report added: ‘This should not have happened. The initial details obtained for Mr Ahmed’s next of kin were taken from a visits list and were, in fact, incorrect and for another prisoner of the same name.’
The next day, the correct family for Ahmed was contacted, and the Prison Service apologised for the upsetting error.
Inmates’ next-of-kin details will be updated more regularly, they said, adding: ‘We are very sorry for the distress caused and have written to the family concerned.
‘This error was quickly identified and corrected, and steps have been taken to prevent this from happening again.’
Ahmed had not indicated having suicidal thoughts.
He had been referred to mental health services but had not used them in the year before his death.
Last year, an ‘extremely dangerous’ criminal was released from prison the same day he arrived, in a major mistake.
The 30-year-old burglary gang member has previously rammed police cars while trying to escape capture.
A source said: ‘He was given even more jail time at the court hearing in Dublin but was then able to walk out of the prison.
‘It was a mistake but no doubt a bizarre incident.’
This isn’t the first time a prisoner has been accidentally set free in Ireland.
Miscalculations saw three released early over 18 months leading up to May 2022, the Examiner reported.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.