Murderer Found Dead at Gartree Prison After Drugs Reached His Cell by Drone

A murderer serving a life sentence at HMP Gartree near Market Harborough was found dead in his cell by a fellow inmate after a prison officer unlocked his door without checking on him, a watchdog investigation has found.

What Happened at HMP Gartree

Patryk Skupinski, 38, died at the Category B Leicestershire prison on 29 January 2025 after taking synthetic cannabinoids — drugs which, combined with an undiagnosed heart condition, proved fatal. He had been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 21 years in October 2023 for the murder of his partner, Marlene Doyle, 32, whose body was found at their flat on Shakespeare Street in Coventry after relatives raised the alarm when they could not reach her. She had been dead for up to five days.

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) published its investigation report in March 2026, setting out a sequence of failures in the hours before Skupinski was found. A routine roll check at 5.07am on the morning of his death involved a torch inspection through the observation panel — and found nothing wrong. At 7.58am, an officer unlocked the cell for morning activities without checking whether Skupinski was responsive, contrary to established welfare check procedures. Around 20 minutes later, another inmate went to find out whether Skupinski was ready for a workshop and discovered him unresponsive on his bed. Prison staff found him lying face down in a pool of vomit.

CPR was attempted. Paramedics arrived at around 8.45am, noted that rigor mortis had already set in, and pronounced Skupinski dead at 8.58am. The cause of death was confirmed as ischaemic heart disease combined with synthetic cannabinoid use. A jury at Leicester Coroners’ Court returned a verdict of misadventure at an inquest held between 9 and 13 March 2026.

Readers following crime and violence across the county may want to read our earlier report on a Leicestershire murder inquiry that unfolded in very different circumstances.

The Drugs That Got In — and How

After Skupinski’s death, staff found a tampered vape in his cell — a device frequently used to inhale illicit substances within prisons. The PPO noted that Skupinski had no known history of drug use. He told staff on arrival at HMP Hewell in 2022 that he had no problems with alcohol or drugs, and his prison record was described as positive throughout his time in custody. He was transferred to Gartree in October 2024 and attended a substance misuse induction in November 2024, where he was specifically warned about the dangers of psychoactive substances including synthetic cannabinoids. He maintained that he did not use drugs.

The PPO identified drone deliveries as a major route for drugs reaching prisoners at Gartree. The prison itself acknowledged the problem, and has since hired a company to install protective window cages to prevent drone drops — a project described as ongoing at the time the PPO report was published. Skupinski is the eleventh prisoner to die at HMP Gartree since January 2022.

What Watchdogs Have Said About Gartree

Skupinski’s death did not emerge in a vacuum. For years, independent oversight bodies have been raising the alarm about conditions at the Market Harborough prison.

In May 2025, the Independent Monitoring Board published its 2023–24 annual report on Gartree, describing the prison as a place where drug use is widespread, drone activity is reported regularly at night, and improvised weapons are routinely found in cells. The IMB noted a 75% increase in healthcare-related complaints since a new provider, Practice Plus Group, took over the healthcare contract in March 2024. The department was described as understaffed and reliant on agency staff.

The building itself fared no better in the IMB’s assessment. Leaking roofs, broken showers, a failing heating system, and an unhygienic kitchen — with essential equipment unrepaired for the fourth year running — were all highlighted. Legionellosis was suspected in some showers, resulting in the closure of an entire shower block.

Steve Martin, chair of the IMB at Gartree, said: “We raise the issue of a crumbling prison and inadequate healthcare every year, but nothing gets done.”

The PPO’s finding about the unlock procedure — that Skupinski would likely have been found sooner had the welfare check been carried out properly — was acknowledged by the prison’s deputy governor, who committed to reissuing the policy to all staff. The PPO declined to issue a formal recommendation on this point, citing the prison’s own corrective action. Adrian Usher from the PPO said: “While this would not have altered the outcome for Mr Skupinski, a proper check would have resulted in him being discovered sooner — and not by another inmate.”

A Prison Service spokesman said: “HMP Gartree has reviewed its morning check process and is ensuring all staff are aware of its welfare check policy. We have invested over £40m in new prison security nationally, including £10m on anti-drone measures, to clamp down on contraband.”

Gartree’s Drug Problem Is No Longer a Dirty Secret

Let’s be direct about what the PPO report actually shows, beyond the specifics of one man’s death. Patryk Skupinski had no meaningful drug history. He attended the prison’s own substance misuse induction. He told staff he did not use drugs. And yet, within weeks of arriving at a Leicestershire prison, he was dead from synthetic cannabinoids — substances that had been smuggled in by drone.

That is not a story about one prisoner making bad choices. That is a story about a prison that cannot keep dangerous drugs off its wings, cannot protect its own staff and prisoners from the consequences, and has been told so, clearly and repeatedly, by every independent body that looks at it.

The IMB has been raising the alarm about Gartree for years. The PPO has now added another death to the tally. Skupinski is the eleventh prisoner to die there since January 2022. Eleven deaths in just over three years, at a single Leicestershire prison. The national picture is grim too — 2025 recorded the highest number of prison deaths on record, with 394 deaths in custody, a 15% rise on 2024, according to Ministry of Justice data.

The Government’s response — £40m in security spending, window cages, anti-drone investment — is not nothing. But if drone-delivered drugs can reach a man with no known drug history within weeks of his transfer, and he dies before a morning welfare check is completed properly, the question is not whether the money is being spent. The question is whether it is working.

The people of Leicestershire live alongside Gartree. The prison employs local people, holds some of the country’s most serious offenders, and sits in the county’s custody, whether residents think about it or not. When a watchdog uses the words “crumbling prison” and “inadequate healthcare” in the same sentence — and then a man dies from drugs that should never have reached his cell — it is reasonable to ask what it will take for the Prison Service to treat this institution as the serious problem it clearly is.

We will be following developments at Gartree closely. If the anti-drone measures make a difference, or if the death toll continues to rise, you will read about it here first.

What do You Think?

Should more be done to stop drugs reaching prisoners at HMP Gartree — and who do you hold responsible? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. If you want to stay informed about what’s happening in Leicestershire’s communities and institutions, sign up for our free local news updates.