James Glendenning, a former police officer jailed for rape and other offences against two girls, died after collapsing in his cell at HMP Manchester, an inquest has heard. The 93-year-old passed away in hospital on October 29, 2023, after being found collapsed in the prison commonly known as Strangeways.
Medical history and death
The inquest in Manchester was told Glendenning had a medical history of heart disease and had been fitted with a pacemaker. He had also received a diagnosis of vascular dementia. Initially, prison staff believed he had tumbled from his bed. He was rushed to Salford Royal Hospital but died later that same day.
Dr Daniel Du Plessis, a specialist neuropathologist, carried out a post-mortem examination and determined Glendenning died from a spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage triggered by amyloid-related cerebral amyloid angiopathy, which is associated with vascular dementia. The inmate had experienced 'cognitive impairment' as a result of his vascular dementia, the inquest heard.
Investigation and inquest conclusion
Dr Du Plessis stated the haemorrhage could have resulted from a fall, though it was more probable he experienced a spontaneous bleed due to his medical condition which triggered a fall. Detective Sergeant Kirsty Roe carried out a 'special procedure investigation' into the death for GMP and determined there were no suspicious circumstances.
Coroner Andrew Bridgman recorded a 'natural causes' death, finding that Glendenning had sustained a 'non-survivable bleed on the brain which was likely spontaneous in origin'. He offered his condolences to the family, though none were present in court for the 'documentary' inquest where no live witnesses were called and only statements were referenced.
Background of offences
Glendenning, from Reddish in Stockport, was 88 years old and already in poor health when he was imprisoned in November 2018. He had served with the Royal Artillery before a 17-year career with West Midlands Police. During his 2018 trial, he pleaded not guilty to one charge of rape, 10 counts of indecent assault, and four counts of indecency with a child.
He was found guilty on all counts following a trial and sentenced to 23 years behind bars. Judge David Stockdale KC, then the Recorder of Manchester, condemned Glendenning's 'utterly depraved and utterly wicked' abuse. Jurors were told one of his victims had been threatened with the cane if they told anyone about the abuse. One girl had cried out in agony and pleaded with Glendenning to cease, the court heard.
Judge Stockdale addressed Glendenning: "You committed grave offences of sexual assault... at a time when they were young girls. Your offences were utterly depraved and utterly wicked." The judge stated that Glendenning 'betrayed' the girls' trust, labelling his crimes as 'utterly degrading'. "The girls submitted to you because they had no choice," he continued. "You now bring disgrace to your former profession as a serving police officer. It's difficult to imagine a more gross betrayal of trust placed in you by innocent young girls."
The court was informed that one of the victims approached the police in the 1980s but 'her account was not believed'. An investigation was subsequently 'relaunched' following another complaint in 2015. Judge Stockdale added: "You lied to the police in the mid 1980s. You lied to the police in interview in 2015 and 2016. You lied to the jury over several days in the witness box. Your lies have now been exposed and the accounts of the two complainants dismissed by you as fabrication have been roundly accepted by the jury by their verdicts."
