Convicted Transgender Rapist Found Dead in Her Cell at HMP Parkhurst
A transgender woman serving a life sentence for rape has been found dead in her cell at HMP Parkhurst, an all-male prison on the Isle of Wight.
Martin Eatough, aka Jade, Found Dead at 35
Martin Eatough, 35, who identified as female and went by Jade, was discovered during a 5am routine check on August 19. She was taking hormone replacement therapy as the first step in transitioning but had not yet undergone gender reassignment surgery.
Sources reveal Eatough was not on suicide watch and had been living normally in the prison. Officers found no response when they checked her cell, forcing entry to discover her unresponsive. Paramedics attempted resuscitation but she was pronounced dead at 5:45am.
The Fourth Transgender Prisoner Suicide in Male Jails
Eatough’s death marks the fourth transgender inmate suicide in male prisons over recent years, fueling fresh criticism of the Prison Service’s handling of transgender prisoners.
“She was not on a suicide watch and was living normally,” a source said.
Previous cases include Joanne Latham, who died by hanging at Woodhill prison in 2015, and 21-year-old Vikki Thompson, who took her own life at HMP Leeds just a month prior.
Crime and Controversy Surround Eatough
Eatough was serving a life sentence after twice attacking young women on the same night in Blackburn in June 2005. He stalked a 19-year-old woman, indecently assaulted her on her doorstep, then raped a 15-year-old near the town centre within two hours.
At sentencing, the judge warned of a “real and significant risk” Eatough might commit further serious offences.
Prisoners are normally held in jails matching their biological sex unless they hold a gender recognition certificate. Eatough had not received this official status.
Officials Respond Amid Growing Scrutiny
A Prison Service spokesperson said:
“HMP Parkhurst prisoner Jade Eatough died in custody on Saturday 19 August 2017. As with all deaths in custody there will be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.”
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