ANTHONY SMITH'S TRAGIC END IN NUNEATON PRISON: NATURAL CAUSES CLAIM LIFE OF SEX OFFENDER FROM STAFFORD

In March 2013, the death of Anthony Smith, a convicted sex offender from Nuneaton, was officially attributed to natural causes, following a detailed inquest held at Stafford Crown Court. Smith, aged 67, had been serving a nine-year sentence after admitting to 15 sexual offences committed in the 1980s, which involved the abuse of two young boys. His incarceration began in November 2008 at Stafford Prison, where he was held until his death.

The inquest revealed that Smith, formerly residing at Lexington Court, Abbey Street, Nuneaton, had a history of health issues, including chronic constipation. During his time at Stafford Prison, he underwent a hip replacement surgery at Stafford Hospital in June 2011, which initially appeared successful. However, his health deteriorated in July 2012, when he was readmitted to the hospital suffering from abdominal pain and an elevated temperature. The medical team diagnosed him with constipation and prescribed medication, discharging him after treatment.

Despite the medication, Smith remained constipated, and on July 25, 2012, he was examined again by the prison’s general practitioner, Dr. Daniel Ndukwe. The doctor noted that Smith’s temperature had returned to normal, but the following day, July 26, Smith was found to be in a state of delirium. Fellow prison doctor Dr. Henry Obi described his condition, noting that Smith’s abdomen was swollen, his pulse was rapid, and his skin had taken on a greyish hue. Recognizing the severity of his condition, Smith was rushed to Stafford Hospital, where a CT scan revealed necrotising fasciitis, a severe soft tissue infection that was rapidly progressing.

Emergency surgery was immediately undertaken to remove the infected tissue from Smith’s body. Unfortunately, the extent of the infection, which affected areas from his neck down to his thighs, was deemed unsurvivable by the medical team. The operation was halted, and Smith was moved to the recovery area, where he was kept comfortable as his condition worsened. Despite efforts to stabilize him, he was pronounced dead at 4:40 pm that day.

Post-mortem examinations uncovered that Smith’s appendix was inflamed, and the cause of death was identified as necrotising fasciitis resulting from acute appendicitis. Pathologist Dr. Stephen Harris also noted that Smith had suffered kidney failure. However, Dr. Ndukwe expressed surprise at the diagnosis, stating that if Smith had truly suffered from appendicitis, his symptoms would have been more apparent and his fever would have worsened rather than subsided. The inquest heard from Dr. Theresa Bentley of Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust, who explained that diagnosing appendicitis can be challenging due to the variable position of the appendix and differing symptoms among patients.

The case was reviewed by South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust, which identified communication gaps between the prison and hospital emergency services. As a result, new procedures were implemented, including the introduction of standardized clinical transfer letters to ensure better information sharing. Lynn Tolley from the PCT highlighted that the information provided about Smith’s condition on July 22 was incomplete, relying heavily on details supplied by Smith himself. These improvements aim to prevent similar issues in future cases.

During his incarceration, Smith was housed in a single cell, which was arranged to facilitate his mobility following his hip surgery. He had access to a call bell to summon prison staff if needed. Paul Cotton from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman stated that the care Smith received was comparable to what he would have expected outside prison walls. Ultimately, the jury concluded that Smith’s death was due to natural causes, closing the case on a tragic chapter in the life of a convicted sex offender from Nuneaton.