Ageing prison no longer fit for purpose - watchdog

The main wing of HMP Leicester is now 150 years old

Leicester's ageing and overcrowded Victorian prison is no longer fit for purpose, a watchdog has said.

The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) - volunteers who monitor standards at the Category B jail - have said "rapidly rising" numbers of inmates have left staff struggling to provide safe and decent conditions.

A report, published on Tuesday, highlighted increased violence and self-harm - and stated broken windows and grills were allowing drugs to be smuggled in.

The government said record numbers of offenders behind bars was putting "significant pressure on the whole justice system".

The IMB's key findings

• Assaults on prisoners and staff have risen

• The condition of ageing cells - usually shared by two inmates - has deteriorated

• The prison building will continue to "require significant capital expenditure because of its age and condition" to meet standards

• The condition of the roof has left some areas "prone to significant flooding"

• The "poorly-maintained" environment is not conducive to good inmate health

• A total of 37% of inmates released from HMP Leicester have no accommodation to go to

The Ministry of Justice said it pledged to "get a grip" of the situation

Self-harm incidents at the prison, in Welford Road, more than doubled last year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said, rising to 563 in 2023 from 226 in 2022.

There was also a 56% increase in violent incidents in 2023, compared to the previous year, the report added.

However, the IMB praised leadership at the prison.

It said: "The prison continues to be well led by an energetic governor and senior management team that strives to provide a good service within the restrictions of old, unsuitable buildings."

The board said in its report that there were not enough cells for prisoners, leading to most "sharing ageing cells designed for one person, where they must eat, sleep, and use the toilet and are confined for at least 19 hours a day".

This resulted in "boredom and tension due to lack of privacy", the IMB said.

The operational capacity of the prison was 344 inmates when the IMB wrote its report

The rise in violence is also fuelled by drugs, it added, with further concerns raised about the state of the prison.

The main wing is now 150 years old and requires "considerable investment to bring it up to an acceptable standard", and there are damp issues and "infestations", while the broken windows let in drafts as well as drugs.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "The prison system is in crisis - with record numbers of offenders behind bars, putting significant pressure on the whole justice system.

"We will get a grip of the situation so we can lock up the most dangerous offenders, protect the public, and make our prisons safer for hard-working staff."

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