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© Copyright, Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody (IAPDC) 2026.

Wendy Sinclair-Gieben appointed as new IAPDC Chair 

Published:

The Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody (IAPDC) has appointed a new Chair, Wendy Sinclair‑Gieben. 

Wendy brings significant expertise in inspections and rights-based oversight of detention, with an extensive career spanning a range of custody settings and jurisdictions. 

As HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland for six years, she oversaw national inspections of prisons and court custody, championing a focus on safety, dignity and welfare. She also led the independent review of the response to deaths in prison custody for the Scottish Government, producing 26 recommendations to improve independent investigations, family engagement, and rights-based processes. Her core recommendation was the establishment in Scotland of an independent investigations body for all deaths in prison custody, similar to England and Wales’ Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO). She also highlighted systemic failures in communication and family support, as well as gaps in staff training and wellbeing.  

From 2022-2024, she was Chair of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) and she was also a member of the Advisory Group for the 2025 Independent Review of Fatal Accident Inquiries (FAI) into deaths in police and prison custody. It recommended establishing a National Oversight Mechanism for FAI reports and exploring the value of an advisory group on deaths in custody for Scotland. 

Alongside her inspection and oversight work, Wendy has held senior leadership roles including as a prison governor in England and Wales and later as a prison director with Serco, leading facilities in Scotland, England and Australia as well as working in Immigration and Court Escorts. Her contributions to rehabilitation and reintegration have been recognised with the Lord Justice Woolf Award for Resettlement and the Infrastructure Partnerships Australia Award. She has also served as a non‑executive director for the National Organisation for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (NOFASD), supporting families affected by FASD in Australia, and is currently on the Board of families Outside, a charity that supports families affected by imprisonment. In addition, she is a member of the Scottish Association for the Study of Offending. 

Speaking about her appointment, Wendy Sinclair‑Gieben said: 

“I am honoured to take on the role of Chair of the IAPDC. Preventing deaths in custody demands close collaboration across justice, health, social care and oversight bodies. I look forward to working closely with the Panel, Ministers and stakeholders to drive meaningful improvements and ensure stronger, more consistent support for vulnerable people in custody.”