Man, 46, who grabbed woman in the street dies one month into prison sentence

A man convicted of 'intentional strangulation' after attacking a woman died in prison just one month into his sentence. Daniel Rocks had been found guilty following an incident where he grabbed the neck of a terrified woman on the street, as per court documents.

Described as homeless and a drug user, Rocks reportedly threw the woman against a fence before throttling her in Burton Stone Lane, Clifton, York. The woman had initially attempted to assist Rocks before he assaulted her.

Five passers-by courageously stepped in to aid the woman and shield her from the intoxicated Rocks. Formerly of Clifton, Rocks was sentenced to 18 months in jail in June last year after pleading guilty to 'intentional strangulation' and assault.

He passed away from coronary heart disease on July 26 at HMP Hull, aged 46. A brief report on Rocks' death has been released by the Prisons Ombudsman, which stated: "On 24 May 2023, Mr Daniel Rocks was convicted of intentional strangulation and sent to HMP Hull. In June he was sentenced to 18 months. He died of coronary heart disease on 26 July, at Hull. He was 46 years old. We offer our condolences to Mr Rocks' family and friends."

NHS England appointed an independent clinical reviewer to assess the care provided to Rocks at Hull. The review found that the care he received was of a "reasonable standard and partially equivalent to that which he could have expected to receive in the community.", reports Yorkshire Live.

While some recommendations were made that were not related to Rocks' death, one was pertinent.

The Ombudsman stated: "The Head of Healthcare should ensure that all healthcare staff adhere to NICE Guidance for patients presenting with raised blood glucose levels."

After sharing their initial findings, both HMPPS (Prison and Probation Service) and Spectrum CIC, the prison healthcare provider, confirmed there were no factual inaccuracies. Spectrum CIC submitted an action plan attached to the report.

An inquest on October 15 determined that Rocks died of natural causes.