A SEX offender who was jailed for historic crimes at the age of 88 and was told he would die in prison, has died at HMP Isle of Wight.

Paedophile John Jarvis, of Manchester, died at the age of 92 in April 2019 and a report was made into his death, due to him dying in custody.

It was published this week. 

At the time of his sentencing, for 20 years in prison, Detective Constable Susan Hazell, said: “Jarvis’ sex abuse went unreported for years and as he neared the end of his life he must have thought he’d got away with it.

“What little time Jarvis has left will now be spent in prison contemplating his crime.”

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman carried out an independent investigation into the death.

Jarvis died of heart failure and heart disease while a prisoner.

The report was satisfied that the standard of healthcare Jarvis received was equivalent to that which he could have expected to receive in the community.

However, there were concerns that when Jarvis fell in his cell, prison staff did not use an emergency code to indicate there was significant blood loss. The clinical reviewer was, however, satisfied this did not affect the outcome.

He had been at HMP Isle of Wight since November, 2015. Because of his medical conditions, healthcare staff saw him regularly. 

In January, 2019, the prison started the process of applying for early release on compassionate grounds on Jarvis’ behalf. However, staff struggled to find suitable accommodation for him in the community and he died before the application process could be completed.

He had suffered a couple of falls and been unwell in the week of his death, and his condition deteriorated.

Jarvis was the 19th prisoner to die at HMP Isle of Wight since April 2017, the report said. Of the previous deaths, 14 were from natural causes and three were self-inflicted deaths.