WILLIAM JEWITT'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN MIDDLESBROUGH AND HIS DEATH BEHIND BARS AT HMP DURHAM
In March 2022, the tragic death of William Jewitt, a notorious paedophile from Middlesbrough, was confirmed to have occurred while he was incarcerated at HMP Durham.Jewitt, aged 80, succumbed to Covid-19 amidst an outbreak at the prison, which had begun after his cellmate tested positive for the virus.
Despite his frail health and pre-existing medical conditions, Jewitt refused to isolate himself when given the opportunity, a decision that ultimately contributed to his contracting the deadly disease.
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman released a detailed report outlining the circumstances surrounding Jewitt’s death.
According to the report, during an outbreak in February 2022, the prison implemented lockdown measures and conducted mass screening of inmates.
A swab taken from Jewitt on February 10 returned negative, but his cellmate tested positive shortly thereafter, prompting isolation protocols.
Jewitt, however, declined to move into isolation, requesting to remain in his cell despite the risk.
On February 18, Jewitt reported feeling short of breath.
A nurse assessed him and recommended a review by a general practitioner (GP), but he was not added to the GP’s list at that time.
As his condition worsened, he experienced breathing difficulties again on February 21, and arrangements were made for him to see a GP.
The following morning, the GP attempted to contact him via the in-cell telephone but was unsuccessful.
The medical review indicated the need for a repeat chest X-ray, but this was delayed.
Later that day, Jewitt’s cellmate alerted staff to his deteriorating condition.
A nurse examined him, but he lost consciousness before staff could administer further aid.
Despite efforts to resuscitate him, including CPR and the use of a defibrillator, Jewitt was pronounced dead that afternoon.
The report notes that Jewitt’s health was compromised by longstanding issues such as heart and kidney disease, which the Ombudsman acknowledged contributed to his death.
However, the ultimate cause was identified as Covid-19.
It remains unclear whether Jewitt had received a Covid vaccination prior to his illness.
Jewitt had been held on remand at HMP Durham since 2019, and the report concludes it is reasonable to believe he contracted Covid-19 within the prison environment.
His criminal history is extensive, beginning with an initial conviction in 1995 for indecent assault.
Over the years, Jewitt repeatedly violated a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) that was designed to restrict his contact with minors, demonstrating a persistent pattern of non-compliance.
In February 2017, a significant incident occurred when a mother, upset by Jewitt’s presence at a Christmas lunch for homeless people at St Columba’s Church on Wilson Street in Middlesbrough, took a photograph of him.
Jewitt was seen wearing a yellow party hat and sitting opposite a 13-year-old girl, whom he later beckoned over while playing the piano.
The mother, who was volunteering at the event, recognized Jewitt’s history of sexual offences and promptly contacted the police.
The photograph and her report contributed to Jewitt’s subsequent re-incarceration.
Prosecutor Jenny Haigh presented the court with the photograph, emphasizing that Jewitt’s attendance at the event was a breach of his sexual offences prevention order, which had been imposed in July 2000 following 11 offences against children dating back to the 1990s.
Jewitt, a registered sex offender, was fully aware of the restrictions but continued to breach them repeatedly.
The court heard how he had flouted his order multiple times, including nine violations in 2014 that resulted in a 20-month jail sentence, and further breaches in 2008, 2009, and 2010 involving contact with children in Brotton.
Jewitt’s pattern of offending and breaches of the order demonstrated a troubling disregard for the restrictions meant to protect minors.
In December 2017, he attended the same Christmas lunch at St Columba’s Church, sitting directly opposite a girl with her mother, despite there being other available seats.
Judge Howard Crowson expressed concern over Jewitt’s persistent breaches, noting that the order was made to safeguard young girls from his predatory behavior.
Despite acknowledging that this particular breach was less severe than previous ones, the judge emphasized the ongoing risk Jewitt posed.
Jewitt, residing on Haddon Street in central Middlesbrough, was sentenced to six months in prison and a further 12 months of supervised release.
The sexual offences prevention order remained in effect, and he pleaded guilty to the December breach.
His criminal record includes a 1995 conviction for 11 child sex offences, including indecent assault and gross indecency, involving molestation of young girls in his car.
The police successfully applied for a sexual offences prevention order in 2005, which was indefinite and prohibited Jewitt from contacting minors.
Despite these restrictions, Jewitt continued to breach the order over the years.
In 2010, he received a 15-month sentence after befriending families with young children, often without disclosing his past.
In 2014, he was caught giving lifts to children in Middlesbrough, an act he claimed was innocent, but which the court viewed as grooming behavior.
During the latest incident, he was arrested after police responded to a report of suspicious activity and found him with children, although he was not alone with them.
Jewitt admitted to giving lifts but denied any harmful intent.
His defense argued that Jewitt’s actions did not involve being alone with children and that he had no malicious motives.
They also highlighted that Jewitt’s home had been vandalized and boarded up after his criminal history became known, leaving him homeless.
The court, however, saw him as deceitful and at high risk of re-offending, leading to a sentence of 20 months imprisonment.
The judge emphasized that Jewitt’s pattern of breaches and his history of sexual offences made custody the only appropriate option to protect the public from further harm.
