Inspectors slam 'squalid' conditions at high security prison near Peterborough

A high security prison near Peterborough has been described as ‘the dirtiest prison inspectors have seen,’ with conditions inside labelled ‘squalid.’

HMP Whitemoor – which houses some of the country’s most dangerous inmates – was visited by HM Inspectorate of Prisons in December, with inspectors shocked at what they saw.

Similar conditions were reported at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire, another high security jail.

Nobody should be held in the squalid conditions that we saw

In a report, Charlie Taylor, Chief Inspector of Prisons said: “Nobody should be held in the squalid conditions that we saw in these two prisons. The way a prison is maintained sends a strong signal about its general healthiness. I hope that each institution will use our inspection findings as the opportunity to reflect and hit reset.”

The report into HMP Whitemoor, in March, said: “There is no better sign of decline in a prison than a lack of cleanliness and at Whitemoor the wings were the dirtiest I have seen since I became Chief Inspector. Floors, walls, serveries and prisoners' kitchens were filthy, there was rubbish lying around and bins were overflowing. The rigidity of the regime meant that cleaners were unlocked for as little as an hour a day, which evidently did not give them enough time to do their job. Prisoners said cleaning materials such as mop heads were, for some inexplicable reason, in short supply. When I walked round the jail, they frequently complained to me about the dirt, a contrast to their cells which most men kept in immaculate condition.”

Lack of imagination from leaders

Concerns were also raised about staffing at the prison. The report said: “Despite being told multiple times that officers were too busy to attend to prisoners, we often came across them congregating in wing offices or standing in pairs on the wings talking to each other. The example we give in this report of staff not bothering to answer an emergency cell bell because it ‘wasn’t their job’ showed a lack of imagination from leaders in coping with staff shortages that was illustrative of the problems at this jail.”

The level of education on offer at the jail was also criticised, with inspectors saying: “There were not enough spaces for English and maths despite the high levels of need in the jail.”

Jail has ‘lost its way’

Mr Taylor said: “High security prisons hold some of the most dangerous prisoners in England and Wales, and their first priority must of course be protecting the public by keeping them securely within prison walls. But reducing the risk posed by these men is also a vital part of the work of high security prisons: they should be supported in understanding their offending behaviour so that the risk that they pose to prison staff and other prisoners while detained, and to the public on release, is reduced.

"Both Long Lartin and Whitemoor had fundamentally lost their way. Neither prison was fulfilling this function effectively and they were not even discharging their duty to maintain clean and decent facilities. Both prisons need to take urgent action to improve.”