'Perverted' Scunthorpe paedophile David Hough took his life own life in prison

An investigation into the suicide of an "abhorrent and perverted " paedophile in prison found there was no way staff could have prevented him taking his own life.

David Hough, was found lifeless in his cell in March 2020, with a ligature round his neck. He died at the scene despite efforts of staff and paramedics.

The 56-year-old was charged with more than 20 offences including multiple counts of rape and making and distributing indecent images and possession of extreme pornography.

His crimes came to light after Lincolnshire Police carried out a search of his address in Derwent Road, Scunthorpe after the National Crime Agency identified an indecent image that he uploaded onto the Internet.

Electronic devices, memory cards, discs and digital storage devices were seized with over 1000 indecent images of children found, as well as indecent footage of a sexual nature involving children.

The offences were carried out in North Lincolnshire in 2019 and Essex between 2007 and 2008.

Hough was sentenced to life in prison in February 2020 at Grimsby Crown Court.

After Hough was sentenced in 2020, DC Ali Cunningham, from Humberside Police’s Internet Sex Offenders team, condemned Hough for his horrific crimes, saying: “Hough is a perverted and abhorrent child sex offender who preyed on vulnerable young children, grooming them so that he could commit deplorable actions without anyone knowing.”

After Hough took his life, an investigation was carried out by the Prison Ombudsman. All prison deaths result in such an investigation.

Hough was arrested and remanded into prison in 2019 while awaiting his court case. He had a history of depression and prison staff started suicide and self-harm prevention procedures (known as ACCT) as he was in low mood.

He remained under ACCT supervision for several months after two acts of self-harm and expressing thoughts of suicide.

He had regular contact with his keyworker.

In February 2020, Hough received discretionary life sentences for multiple sexual offences with a minimum period of ten years.

On March 4, 2020 Hough’s ACCT plan was closed after his mood continued to improve and avenues of support remained in place.

At 4.10pm, on March 26 that year, a supervising officer found Hough kneeling on the floor of his cell with a ligature around his neck.

The officer radioed an emergency medical code for assistance. Staff began CPR, but paramedics were unable to resuscitate him and Hough died.

Prisons Ombudsman Sue McAllister found there were no concerns with the clinical care and management of Hough. She says there was no way of predicting Hough would take his life when he did.

She said: “The investigation found the standard of physical and mental healthcare provided to Mr Hough at Hull were of an acceptable standard and equivalent to that which he could have expected to receive in the community.

“Despite his risk factors, we did not see any evidence that staff could have been expected to identify that Mr Hough was at heightened or imminent risk of harming himself in the three weeks before his death.”

The only concern the report cited was the fact the debrief was carried out by someone involved in trying to help save Hough’s life.

Ms McAllister said: “We are concerned that the staff debrief was led by a member of staff who had taken part in the attempted resuscitation and who needed support himself. The Governor should ensure that the post-incident debrief is conducted by a member of staff who has not played a direct role in the incident.”

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