Covid-19: HMP Bedford 'under considerable pressure', say inspectors

A report into HMP Bedford said the pandemic had led to "poorer outcomes" for prisoners

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has put a jail "under considerable pressure", according to the chief inspector of prisons.

A report into HMP Bedford said 20% of prisoners tested positive in February, its second "large-scale" outbreak in three months.

The number of assaults between prisoners and on staff was the highest of similar prisons in the past year.

The Prison Service said there were "significant improvements" at the jail.

Charlie Taylor, chief inspector of prisons, said during February's outbreak "a large proportion of staff" had been absent from work.

The jail also had an outbreak in December, but when inspectors visited in March no prisoners had Covid-19.

Charlie Taylor, chief inspector of prisons, said more needed to be done to help prisoners at HMP Bedford have contact with their family

Mr Taylor said the prison management was "committed to managing the spread of Covid-19" and isolating prisoners who tested positive.

But he added that dealing with Covid-19 had led to "poorer outcomes" in rehabilitation and "a lack of progress" in inmates having time out of their cells for activities and education.

'High levels of violence'

The Category B jail was placed in special measures in May 2018 when the then chief inspector of prisons found it to be "fundamentally unsafe".

This latest visit by inspectors found 30% of prisoners said they "currently felt unsafe" and nearly half said they had been bullied or victimised by staff.

Mr Taylor said: "We also saw many examples of rule-breaking going unchallenged, which fed the perception that prisoners could behave badly without fear of repercussion."

HMP Bedford is a category B prison for male prisoners and has a capacity of 377

Inspectors said rates of self-harm had reduced over recent months, but there were "some weaknesses" in the care and support given to those who were at risk of self-harm.

Mr Taylor said the report reflected "the challenges that leaders at Bedford have faced for many years".

He added: "While improvements were evident, the more systemic issues of high levels of violence and underdeveloped staff-prisoner relationships persisted."

• Covid jail restrictions have 'significant impact'

• HMP Bedford violence levels still 'unacceptably high'

• 'Insufficient' progress at violent prison

The inspectors recommended the prison should have "clear and sustained reductions in the levels of violence and more consistent enforcement of rules by staff".

A spokesman for the Prison Service said: "This report rightly recognises the significant improvements made at Bedford over the past year.

"A body scanner is helping us catch more drugs and weapons which we know drives violence and a new peer mentoring scheme is being launched to challenge poor behaviour."