Sex killer Trevor Smith not given correct care in HMP Risley

Trevor Smith was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Heckmondwike woman Alison Clark, 26, in his Carlton Close flat in December 1991.

Tributes are paid to Alison Clark at her funeral in January 1992.

In the nights leading up to his death two years ago, Smith overdosed on a pain relief drug and punched a member of healthcare staff.

Smith denied murder but was convicted at the end of an eight-day trial at Leeds Crown Court on May 13, 1993.

The divorced Smith, a grandfather and former MC at a working men's club, had penned a sick script of sexual deviations, which he inflicted on his victim, in a notebook.

After her death, he photographed her body naked with one image showing her tied to a large white cross he had made.

Miss Clark, who was of limited intelligence, had fallen into his clutches whilst dating his son David. Smith then began a sexual relationship with her which resulted in her violent death.

Miss Clark's body was found days after her death in the bath of the flat on Friday, December 13, 1991.

The scene of the murder in Cleckheaton.

Tomboy Miss Clark was a popular, fun-loving woman whose murder shattered the community.

A report by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman found that Smith died in a hospice on August 27, 2020, of cancer, aged 74.

It was found he did not receive the equivalent level of care in prison as he would have received in the community. There were no concerns over non-clinical issues related to his treatment.

Smith was sent to HMP Leeds in Bramley then in August 2012, he was transferred to HMP Risley in Warrington.

On April 13, 2014, Smith was diagnosed with cancer of the bladder. He also had surgery to remove part of his bladder.

Four years later, Smith was told that he had secondary lung cancer. No treatment was advised as the cancer was not advanced enough.

In March 2020, he complained of a chesty cough and was concerned his cancer had progressed.

In the following two months, Smith attended hospital for three radiotherapy treatments to treat his bladder cancer.

In June, a telephone consultation with a Consultant Oncologist was cancelled by the hospital. Another appointment was not scheduled.

In early August, Smith’s health began to deteriorate, and a referral was made to St Rocco’s Hospice in Warrington.

HMP Risley.

On August 7, Smith was chronically unwell and suffering from respiratory distress. He was sent to Warrington Hospital and admitted as an inpatient.

Four days later, a nurse contacted the hospital. She was told that Smith was being treated for community-acquired pneumonia. He was discharged from hospital on August 19.

A day later, a Do Not Attempt Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) order with him was agreed upon.

A prison GP prescribed him Oramorph which he was permitted to have in possession. On the night of August 24-25, Smith took more Oramorph than the prescribed amount. Two nurses assessed him and found no cause for concern.

At around 10.30am, Smith was suffering from possible opioid toxicity and called an emergency ambulance. He had suffered an Oramorph overdose.

On August 26, around 9.50am, the prison staff assisted Mr Smith to change and wash. As they helped him Smith punched one member of staff in the face and tried to punch another.

That afternoon, Smith went to St Rocco’s hospice for a planned outpatient assessment. On his arrival, hospice staff were concerned about his health and he was admitted as an inpatient.

On the same day, an application for Smith’s early release on compassionate grounds was started by staff at HMP Risley. The application was not completed by the time Smith died.

On August 27, the hospice began palliative pain relief through a syringe driver. At 4.25pm, Smith died.

The coroner concluded in the post-mortem that Smith died of carcinomatosis caused by metastatic small cell carcinoma of the bladder.

There were four recommendations made to the prison service following Smith’s death by Assistant Ombudsman Lisa Burrell.

These included all staff being fully aware of the process around controlled/opiate medication, and that the Head of Healthcare would ensure that risk information about a prisoner is shared with staff appropriately.