Matthew Gilbert Died from Blood Clot While Serving Sentence at HMP Parc

© Tom Blewitt & Zack Griffiths – HMP Prisons Justice Group

An inquest report into an inmate who died while servicing his sentence at HMP Parc in Bridgend has been published.

Matthew Gilbert died at HMP Parc on 22 September 2025 after suffering a fatal pulmonary thromboembolus caused by deep vein thrombosis (DVT), according to a report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO).

The 40-year-old had been sentenced to 16 months in prison on 24 July 2024 and was sent to HMP Parc to serve his sentence.

The PPO report states that Mr Gilbert died after a blood clot, which had formed in one of the deep veins in his body, travelled to his lungs, causing a pulmonary thromboembolus. This is a medical emergency in which a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in the lungs, preventing normal blood flow and potentially leading to sudden death.

As is standard procedure following every death in prison custody, the PPO launched an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr Gilbert’s death.

Healthcare Inspectorate Wales appointed an independent clinical reviewer to examine the medical care Mr Gilbert received while at HMP Parc. The reviewer concluded that his healthcare was equivalent to the standard he would have received in the community and found no evidence that his treatment contributed to his death.

The PPO also investigated the non-clinical aspects of his care, including how prison staff managed his welfare. Investigators found no evidence of failings or systemic issues and made no recommendations following the investigation.

During the investigation, Mr Gilbert’s mother raised concerns about the return of her son’s personal property. HMP Parc responded to those concerns, and the family was given the opportunity to comment on the draft report before it was finalised.

The inquest into Mr Gilbert’s death concluded on 8 June 2026, where the coroner formally recorded that he died from natural causes. The medical cause of death was confirmed as pulmonary thromboembolus caused by deep vein thrombosis.

The Ombudsman expressed condolences to Mr Gilbert’s family and friends, concluding that there was no evidence of deficiencies in either his clinical treatment or the prison’s management of his care that contributed to his death.