HMP Bedford: Segregated prisoners 'held in dungeon'

HMP Bedford's segregation unit is not a fit place to detain inmates, according to a new independent report

A cockroach-infested jail's segregation unit is a "dungeon" and should be closed immediately, a report has said.

The unit at HMP Bedford is not a "decent and humane place to hold prisoners", according to the prison's Independent Monitoring Board (IMB).

A plan to improve the jail was unveiled by Justice Secretary David Gauke last week, after an official warning.

The Ministry of Justice said the IMB visit had taken place before the justice secretary's announcement.

The Category B state-run prison was placed in special measures by the government in May over safety concerns.

The IMB report, which covers the period between July 2017 to June 2018, said there were still problems with "increasing violence" at the prison.

It also said a riot in November 2016 - which caused £1m worth of damage to two wings - had "cast a long shadow", while the Victorian jail was overcrowded and had suffered from a "chronic" lack of investment.

The report said: "Prisoners are not treated humanely. Regular shortages of basic items remain, there is often far too long between kit changes, pigeons fly around... and there are infestations of cockroaches and, more recently, rats in most areas."

About 50 inmates were removed from Bedford Prison after a 2016 riot put two wings out of action for months

The board was particularly critical of the "appalling" underground segregation unit and said it felt forced to "recommend its urgent closure and relocation".

"It is a dungeon. The toilets frequently block... there has been a consistent infestation of cockroaches and... there has been a plague of rats."

It is estimated up to half of inmates use drugs, with the report raising concerns about the amount of drugs getting in, the high level of assaults on prison officers and the "inadequate" provision of mental health services.

However, the board "congratulated" the jail for recruiting the "benchmark" number of prison officers, while noting the governor's "capable" leadership and staff's "sympathetic" interactions with inmates, which are the "bedrock of a well-run prison".

Kevin Whiteside, chairman of IMB Bedford, said: "What we are seeing is the challenge of managing a prison that is past its sell-by date.

"There is no doubt about the determination to improve, but the obstacles are formidable."

Last week, Mr Gauke revealed a raft of measures, including "senior experienced officers" being brought in and more security procedures to stop the flow of drugs.