A 62-year-old child sex abuser from Bradford has died behind bars at HMP Holme House in Stockton-on-Tees just three months into a 19-year prison sentence imposed for a string of historical offences against a teenage victim.
Kevin Low, formerly of Wealdhere Street, Bradford, West Yorkshire, died in prison custody on 23 September 2026. His death has triggered a mandatory independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) to establish the cause and circumstances inside the establishment.
The criminal proceedings concluded at Newcastle Crown Court on Monday 15 June 2026. The court was told that Low had subjected a teenage victim to sustained sexual abuse in Bradford between 1997 and 2003. Years later, the survivor formally disclosed the historical offending, leading to an extensive safeguarding inquiry and criminal charges.
Following court proceedings, Low was convicted of eight sexual offences. Passing sentence, the Crown Court judge handed Low an immediate custodial term of 19 years’ imprisonment, alongside a lifetime restraining order and mandatory notification requirements on the Sex Offenders Register for life under the provisions of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Low’s death on 23 September 2026 brings an abrupt end to the physical custodial punishment handed down by the court. A Prison Service spokesperson stated: “As with all deaths in custody the PPO will investigate, and it would be inappropriate to comment further until this has concluded.”
Under the provisions of Section 49 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992, all child victims and complainants connected to criminal proceedings are protected by automatic, lifelong statutory anonymity. Publishing, broadcasting, or disseminating any details, names, addresses, educational facilities, or photographs capable of leading to public identification is strictly prohibited under UK law.
Low was convicted of:
Eight counts of child sexual offences
At his sentencing at Newcastle Crown Court in June 2026, the court ordered:
A 19-year custodial sentence
A lifetime restraining order prohibiting contact with the survivor
Mandatory notification requirements on the Sex Offenders Register for life under the Sexual Offences Act 2003
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has confirmed that an independent inquiry into Low’s death at HMP Holme House is ongoing.
Image – Anonymous Artist Impression
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