A man convicted of sexually assaulting children was discovered dead in his prison cell out of fear that he would be targeted by other inmates once his crimes were exposed. Brian Jordan, aged 60, took his own life shortly after beginning a seven-year, seven-month sentence at HMP Durham for multiple sexual offenses against young girls. His arrest and subsequent charges, including rape and indecent assault, occurred in March 2023.
Around a week before his death on July 3, 2024, Jordan learned that news of his conviction had spread widely, causing him distress and anxiety about potential attacks from fellow prisoners, as per reports from Chronicle Live. An inquiry by the Prisons and Probations Ombudsman (PPO) determined that prison staff could not have anticipated his suicide. Despite being reassigned to HMP Durham after his trial at Newcastle Crown Court in June 2024, Jordan had initially denied any suicidal thoughts and refused a mental health evaluation.
Initially placed in a shared cell in the Vulnerable Prisoners (VP) section of F Wing, there were no indications of Jordan being at risk of self-harm in the days following his imprisonment, according to the PPO investigation. However, on July 3, he made a distressing phone call to his family from jail, expressing fear of potential harm from other inmates.
Following the call, prison staff found Jordan hanging in his cell at 10:43 am, leading to immediate medical intervention. Despite resuscitation efforts by staff and paramedics, Jordan was pronounced dead at 11:58 am. A subsequent post-mortem examination revealed that his cause of death was hanging-induced neck pressure. Toxicology tests indicated prior cannabis use, though it was unlikely to have influenced his actions at the time of his death.
The PPO review praised the prompt emergency response, and a coroner’s inquest confirmed that Jordan’s death was a suicide.
