THE death of a convicted rapist has been investigated by a prisons watchdog.
Anthony Fruin died of cancer while serving as a prisoner at HMP Haverigg.
The 85-year-old was serving an indeterminate sentence for rape when he died at the prison on November 17 2020.
Findings of an investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman have now been published following his death.
A fatal incident report concluded he received a similar quality of care at the open prison as he would have done in a hospital.
A judge described Fruin as a sexual predator when he was sentenced in 2006.
Fruin had several significant health conditions, including ischaemic heart disease, hypertension and lung disease COPD, which were said to have put him at 'high risk' of becoming seriously ill were he to contract Covid-19.
He was diagnosed with cancer in July 2020.
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He followed the advice to shield from April until August 2020 and isolated when he returned to prison from hospital in July, September and November 2020.
After his return from hospital in both September and November, he tested positive for Covid and received treatment in prison, the report said.
In September, he was asymptomatic.
He died in November after his health deteriorated while receiving end-of-life care for cancer.
Summing up the report, assistant ombudsman Caroline Mills said: "The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care that Mr Fruin received at Haverigg was equivalent to that which he could have expected to receive in the community.
"She found that he was managed with respect and compassion and she commended the staff who ensured that he received 24-hour nursing care in his last days of life.
"Prison staff promptly and appropriately isolated Mr Fruin when he returned from hospital in July, September and November in line with national instructions to minimise the spread of Covid-19.
"It is highly likely that he contracted Covid-19 in hospital in both September and November 2020.
"We found no non-clinical issues of concern, and we make no recommendations."
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