Chelmsford Prison Death: Omar Farooq Died of Natural Causes, Report Finds

Report into Death of Chelmsford Prison Inmate Omar Farooq

A newly published report has found that the death of inmate Omar Farooq at HM Prison Chelmsford was due to natural causes, with no major concerns identified over his care.

Mr Farooq, aged 70, died on 8th August 2025 while serving a life sentence for robbery. An inquest into his death was held in March 2026, with the findings later published by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman on 15th April 2026.

The independent investigation concluded that his death was from natural causes and did not raise any non-clinical concerns about how he was treated in custody.

However, a separate NHS England review into the case made three recommendations relating to his healthcare, although these were not directly linked to the cause of death.