BARRY CAMWELL FROM DOVER AND MAIDSTONE FOUND DEAD IN WANDSWORTH PRISON CELL

In a tragic development, Barry Camwell, a man with a long history of sexual offenses linked to the towns of Dover and Maidstone, was discovered dead in his prison cell at Wandsworth Prison on Monday, March 1. The authorities have confirmed that Camwell, aged 30, was found hanging, prompting an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

Prison staff responded swiftly upon discovering Camwell’s body, attempting to revive him through resuscitation efforts. An ambulance was summoned to the scene, but despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead at approximately 9:45 in the morning. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has taken charge of the inquiry, aiming to determine the factors that led to this fatality.

Barry Camwell’s criminal history is marked by disturbing offenses, primarily involving the sexual assault of minors. His first known conviction dates back to 2002, when he was 23 years old. During that year, he committed a heinous act at Dover Priory Station, where he raped a 14-year-old girl in broad daylight. The incident occurred after the girl jokingly mentioned to him that she fancied a “snog,” which Camwell misinterpreted as an invitation. This assault shocked the local community and marked the beginning of his series of criminal activities.

In September 2007, Camwell’s criminal behavior led to his re-incarceration. At that time, he was living at a probation hostel in Maidstone, following his earlier conviction. His return to prison was triggered by an incident in a town center shop, where he approached and attempted to engage a young girl in conversation, despite being on license. Security personnel at The Mall Chequers alerted police after staff reported that Camwell was harassing customers. The court sentenced him to serve additional time, with the judge ordering that he remain on license for five years upon release and be registered on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

Camwell’s license conditions mandated that he be monitored under the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA), a system designed to oversee high-risk offenders in the community. Det Insp Caroline Nyman, head of the Public Protection Unit for Maidstone, emphasized that Camwell’s swift re-incarceration demonstrated the effectiveness of the community management system. She also defended the role of bail hostels, such as the one in Maidstone where Camwell was residing, stating that these facilities enable authorities to keep dangerous individuals under close supervision. Nyman remarked, “There will always be individuals who are a danger to the public. If we know who they are and where they are, then we can manage them. If we do not know their whereabouts, then managing them becomes impossible.”

Camwell’s criminal record also includes a nine-year prison sentence handed down in December 2002. At that time, a judge at Canterbury Crown Court convicted him of raping a 14-year-old girl at Dover Priory Station. The judge, Anthony Webb, emphasized that although the girl had joked about “fancying a snog,” this was not an invitation for assault. Camwell had lured the girl into a lift area by pretending to show her something, then committed the assault in daylight. Camwell claimed that the girl was a willing participant, asserting she told him she was 16 and behaved accordingly. Nonetheless, he was sentenced to nine years and was ordered to remain on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the ongoing risk he posed to the community.