Child rapist died of ‘natural causes’ in prison after string of assaults on girl

John Trow, 71 at the time of his death, was jailed in 2016 after being found guilty at a trial at Bolton Crown Court.

He was convicted of six counts of indecently assaulting and one count of raping a young girl over a three-year period in the 1990s.

Trow, formerly of Bromwich Street, The Haulgh, died at HMP Wymott in Leyland on January 8, 2025, having served nearly nine years of his 19-year sentence.

A report for the Prison and Probation Ombudsman by Adrian Usher said Trow died of “aspiration pneumonia”.

The report said: “The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Trow received at Wymott was equivalent to what he could have expected to receive in the community.

Trow was found guilty at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Anthony Moss)

“She found that healthcare staff maintained contact with the hospital during Mr Trow’s hospital admissions.

“She found that care plans for Mr Trow were initiated appropriately, his health conditions were monitored regularly, and he was cared for compassionately by confident and competent staff.

“She made no recommendations.”

The Prison and Probation Ombudsman is an independent organisation that investigates deaths in custody as well as complaints from people in custody or under community supervision.

Mr Usher’s report said the watchdog did not find any “non-clinical issues of concern” and made no recommendations.

It said that an inquest into Trow’s death found he had died of natural causes.

In 2016, the then 63-year-old Trow had been sentenced by Judge Elliott Knopf to 11 years in prison for rape and a further eight years in jail for the string of indecent assaults.

Judge Knopf ruled at the time that he would not be automatically released halfway through his jail term to serve the rest of his sentence in the community.

Instead, Judge Knopf decided Trow was a criminal of “particular concern” and said that after nine-and-a-half years a parole board would have to consider if it was appropriate to free him.

Trow was also told at the time he would another to spend another two years on licence after the end of his 19-year sentence.

Source – INDIA TV