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A convicted serial rapist who spent nearly five decades in prison for two brutal attacks has been found dead at HMP Full Sutton.
Ronald Cole, 74, died on May 27, 2025, according to the Ministry of Justice, which confirmed that the Prison and Probation Ombudsman will now investigate the circumstances of his death — as is standard protocol for any death in custody.
Cole had been serving an indeterminate sentence for two horrifying rapes committed in the late 1970s. His final offence occurred just 36 hours after he was paroled from prison for a nearly identical attack.
In the second crime, Cole raped a 25-year-old woman while her baby son lay beside her in bed. This took place barely a day and a half after he had been released from serving time for raping another young mother, aged 24, with her 13-month-old baby in a cot nearby.
The brutality and repetition of Cole’s crimes shocked the nation and led to a life sentence with a minimum term of 14 years. Despite that minimum, Cole remained in prison for 45 years, having never been deemed safe for release.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice said:
“Ronald Cole died at HMP Full Sutton on May 27, 2025. As with all deaths in custody, the Prison and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”
Cole’s death comes at a time of growing public scrutiny over how high-risk offenders are monitored after release.
