Adrian Usher
English and Welsh Ombudsman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Adrian Usher (born c. 1967[1]) is a British ombudsman and former police officer. Usher has served as the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman for England and Wales since April 2023 following a pre-appointment hearing by the Justice Select Committee. In 2026, the Lord Chancellor approved his reappointment as Ombudsman for a further three years, to conclude on 24 April 2029.[2]
Adrian Usher | |
|---|---|
| Born | c.1967 (age 58–59) |
| Occupations | |
| Employer | Metropolitan Police (1987—2023) |
| Prisons and Probation Ombudsman for England and Wales | |
| Assumed office 24 April 2023 | |
| Nominated by | Justice Select Committee |
| Appointed by | Lord Chancellor |
| Preceded by | Sue McAllister |
Career
Usher previously worked for the Metropolitan Police for 35 years.[3] He served as the Borough Commander for Barnet and served on both Counter-Terrorism and Anti-Corruption Commands.[1][3][4] Giving evidence to the parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, Usher, who was at that time, Commander, said it should not be enough for a protest to be "peaceful" to be considered lawful, after protests by Extinction Rebellion disrupted parts of London in April 2019.[5]
In October 2023, the Lord Chancellor commissioned Usher to undertake an independent investigation into abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre; and his report was published in November 2025.[6] Minister for Youth Justice Jake Richards apologised to the victims and created the Youth Custody Safeguarding Panel to look at how professionals work with young people in custody.[7]