Man accused of murdering neighbour dies in prison
Jack Maclean/BBCA man accused of murdering his neighbour has died in prison while awaiting trial.
Christopher Brooks, 40, died at HMP Norwich on Wednesday 29 July, the Prison Service confirmed.
He had not yet entered a plea to the charge that he had murdered Robert Button, 73, who died in December 2025 after a fire was started in a doorway in Coastline Village in Walcott, Norfolk.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: "As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman is investigating. We will respond to its findings in due course."
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman confirmed it was conducting an independent investigation into the death of Christopher Brooks at HMP Norwich.
It said: "Our investigation will seek to understand what happened leading up to his death and identify any learning."
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Norfolk Police had previously said Brooks and Button were known to each other and had been neighbours.
The force said Button had been found with serious burns and he died of his injuries in hospital.
Coastline Village is a private village off Ostend Road, on the eastern edge of Walcott.
Brooks, also charged with criminal damage, appeared at Norwich Magistrates' Court in December.
A hearing scheduled at Norwich Crown Court earlier this year had been adjourned while a psychological assessment of Brooks was carried out. His trial date had been provisionally set for 21 September.
A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service said there was no update on the outstanding court proceedings yet but that, in similar circumstances, a hearing was usually called to formally conclude the case.
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