Jamie Simmons, the man convicted of brutally murdering commuter Samir Draganovic with a machete in an unprovoked attack at Knockholt railway station in November 2017, has been found dead in his prison cell. Simmons, aged 41, was discovered hanging in his cell at HMP Swaleside on February 26, 2022, and passed away in hospital a week later.
The murder of 23-year-old Samir Draganovic shocked the community. Samir, a stranger to Simmons, was dragged from the platform at Knockholt railway station and killed with a machete as he was on his way home to Croydon.
Simmons was found guilty of Samir’s murder in May 2018 and was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 25 years. The Inner London Crown Court heard how Simmons and Samir were seen running off the platform together before Simmons returned alone. Samir’s body was later discovered with stab wounds by a passing train driver.
During his trial, Simmons pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility, claiming he could not remember the attack. However, the court rejected his plea, and he was convicted of murder.
Senior investigating officer Paul Langley described the attack as “brutal” and “entirely random,” emphasizing that Samir was merely trying to go home when he was brutally assaulted.
Following Simmons’ death in prison, a fatal incident report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman revealed that he died of “misadventure.” Simmons was suspected of involvement in the prison’s drug trade and had been found with injuries consistent with assault. An x-ray revealed a mobile phone inside his body. Despite being taken to hospital, Simmons discharged himself and was later found hanging in his cell.
The circumstances surrounding Simmons’ death raise questions about safety and security within the prison system, highlighting the challenges faced by authorities in managing violent offenders.
