The grieving family of a young man who died suddenly in a Leeds prison cell say they have been 'left in the dark' by investigating authorities, more than seven months after the tragedy.
A Sudden Death in Custody
Ace Wilson, a 25-year-old from Harrogate, was a serving prisoner at HMP Leeds when he died 'suddenly and unexpectedly' on June 14, 2025. An inquest into his death was opened at Wakefield Coroners' Court in July. The hearing was told that Mr Wilson had been found unresponsive in his cell, with a paramedic from Yorkshire Ambulance Service certifying his death at 2pm that day.
The court heard that further medical examinations, including toxicology and cardiac pathology tests, would be required. However, Mr Wilson's family state they have received scant information since and 'remain without answers' regarding the exact cause or the circumstances that led to his death.
Organs Yet to Be Returned to Grieving Family
The family's anguish has been compounded by the fact that, despite laying Mr Wilson to rest in August, key organs have not been returned. His heart and brain are still with the medical examiner, even though the family say they were advised the process should take no longer than ten weeks.
His uncle, John Vowles, told the Daily Mail: 'There's been little communication from the police or the ombudsman about what is going on. We've been very co-operative with the process, but now it feels like we are hitting a brick wall. We've had no answers.'
A Plea for Truth and Transparency
Mr Wilson's mother, Adelle Deighton, said the family are 'simply seeking truth'. She stated: 'More than seven months later, our family still does not have a confirmed cause of death. Despite repeated assurances that investigations and specialist medical examinations were underway, we have received little meaningful information and no clear explanation for the delays.'
She emphasised the family's respect for thorough investigations but added: 'The prolonged lack of communication and absence of basic information has added significantly to our distress. We believe it is in the public interest for transparency to exist when someone dies in state custody.'
Multiple probes into the death are ongoing:
- An investigation by West Yorkshire Police.
- A separate investigation by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman.
- The coronial inquest, which has been adjourned to a later date.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: 'The police will investigate and, as with all deaths in custody, so will the Prison and Probation Ombudsman. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.'
West Yorkshire Police stated: 'The investigation into the death of Ace Wilson at HMP Leeds on 14 June 2025 remains ongoing, and family liaison officers are maintaining regular contact with his family.'
It is understood that following contact from the Daily Mail, the family are due to receive an update from authorities in the coming days.
