In a British prison, a convicted pedophile passed away while awaiting sentencing. According to Leading Britain’s Conversation, Andrew Hadwin died on Thursday in HMP Durham Prison. In a statement, pledging that the authorities would investigate his death, his Majesty’s Prison Service announced that the inmate had died.
The Ministry of Justice said, “HMP Durham prisoner Andrew Hadwin died on 2 February, as with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”
Hadwin was also charged with three counts of rape in relation to non-recent abuse of another child which happened when she was a girl
Pickles now faces sentencing alone in April and has been told to expect a lengthy prison term.
— Micky Welch (@m1cvv) February 3, 2023
According to The Northern Echo, Hadwin, and his partner were charged with several offenses of child neglect and sexual activity with a child, and one count of perverting the course of justice. The Bowburn, Durham, couple would also order takeout and make the kids watch as they ate while stood over in stressful positions.
Hadwin even went so far as to write false letters from his victims to adults who had been informed of the abuse, in which they recanted their allegations of the assault. However, a handwriting expert confirmed the writing was not that of a child and that the letters had actually been written in a notebook found at the couple’s home, The Northern Echo added.
Along with his partner, 35 year old Cheryl Pickles, they were found guilty of several child abuse charges.
They malnourished the children until they were so hungry they walked for miles in the early hours to scavenge through supermarket bins.
— Micky Welch (@m1cvv) February 3, 2023
Allegations that Hadwin had tortured children, including starving and feeding them soap, were made in the criminal case against him.
The Northern Echo reported that one law enforcement officer pointed to the case as one of the most disturbing he had ever seen, as the investigation into Hadwin’s crimes lasted four years. Following the verdict, investigating officer Detective Constable Kat Pudney, of Durham Constabulary’s Safeguarding Unit, said, according to LBC, “This was an extremely complex and distressing investigation for all involved, the likes of which I have never encountered during my time as a police officer.”
The Daily Mail reported that Hadwin and his partner dangled a child over a roadway bridge and put children in a locked cupboard in other cases. Just two weeks after he was convicted of the 11 offenses, Hadwin was found dead at Durham prison on Thursday but his cause of death isn’t clear.
Prisons ombudsman Kimberley Bingham told the BBC of the inquiry, “We are unable to provide further comment as this is a live investigation and we do not want to prejudice the inquest.”
Sources: WesternJournal, BBC, Daily Mail, The Northern Echo, Leading Britain’s Conversation
