Owen Maughan: Preston prisoner who could drink nine bottles of wine a day died while serving time for vicious attack

Owen Maughan, 36, was 10 months into a prison sentence for assaulting a woman when he passed away in the Royal Preston Hospital in December 2021.

Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg concluded that the inmate, who had been "bounced around" between prisons and hospitals in Preston and Lancaster throughout his time in custody, died of natural causes.

"Mr Maughan had a long-term history of excess alcohol," said the Coroner. "During 2021 it became apparent that he was terminally ill with liver disease and required, at times, almost constant medical attention, frequently returning to the Royal Preston Hospital with acute medical problems.

"It appears he bore his suffering in a brave way, despite some of the inadequacies of care available at Lancaster Farms - not by any fault of the staff, but because 24 hour healthcare is not available at the prison. He became increasingly more ill and ultimately was admitted to the Royal Preston Hospital where he died."

Dublin-born Owen was serving two years for attacking a woman with a metal pole at her home in Blackburn. It was the second timed he had been jailed at Preston Crown Court for assaulting the same woman. He initially went to HMP Preston, but was moved to Lancaster Farms where he served most of his sentence.

But the inquest heard that throughout his stay he was constantly being taken to hospital by paramedics due to his health issues. In the end prison staff found him a regular bed at HMP Preston, one of only a handful of prisons in the North West which have 24-hour healthcare.

Soon after moving there his condition was found to be so serious that he had to be admitted to the Royal Preston Hospital where he died late at night on December 15, 2021. The cause of death was given as bowel ischaemia caused by a thrombosis. Liver disease caused by alcohol was given as a contributory factor.

The coroner told Lisa Wraith, the former head of healthcare at Lancaster Farms Prison, that it appeared Owen had been "rather bounced around" between prisons and hospitals as his condition deteriorated. She replied: "It was quite tricky to manage." She said she had tried to get him a regular bed at Wymott Prison near Leyland, but had eventually found him a place at HMP Preston.

"It was incredibly difficult. We don't have 24 hour nursing cover and we don't have an in-patients department either. Patients have to be assessed in their own rooms. Everyone knew how ill he (Owen) was and everyone was involved in his care. We have robust systems in place." Ms Wraith added: "He was liked. He had been encouraged to tell us if he felt unwell. You can see that by how many times we responded (called ambulances)."

In returning a natural causes conclusion, Coroner Rheinberg said Owen had been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver in 2016. At times he could drink nine bottles of wine a day. He claimed not to have drunk for the 12 months before he went into prison, but he was still terminally ill and was under constant medical review throughout his sentence.