HMP Maidstone: Foreign prisoners held beyond sentence release dates

HMP Maidstone has a capacity of 613 prisoners

Foreign nationals are being held at a Kent prison beyond their sentence due to Home Office delays, a report said.

Too many inmates were held for immigration purposes at Maidstone Prison, the Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB) said.

It added that "significant improvements could be made to the fair and humane treatment of people".

The Home Office said it was "wholly committed" to removing foreign national offenders from UK prisons.

Almost all prisoners at HMP Maidstone, which has a capacity of 613 inmates, are foreign nationals.

The majority are removed from the UK at the end of their sentence - 67% in 2022.

However, there were too many people being held who had passed the date when they were eligible for early removal, and who wished to return to their own country, but were unable to do so "because of processing delays in the Home Office," the report added.

This was leading to "increased anxiety and negative behaviour among prisoners".

A spokesperson from the Home Office said foreign prisoners were referred to the Home Office "at the earliest opportunity to be considered for deportation".

It added: "It is vital that detention and removal are carried out with dignity and respect. Policies and procedures are in place to safeguard vulnerable people and we remain committed to further improving these."

'Stress and anxiety'

Overall, the report said Maidstone was "a safe prison" that was "well run" with low levels of violence.

But the report also said that there were "communication issues" as some prisoners did not speak English and were required to sign Home Office documentation related to their removal from the UK that were only available in English.

Those prisoners could not fully understand the paperwork, which was "unfair and an avoidable source of stress and anxiety," the report said.

HMP Maidstone is a category C prison, which means it focuses on training and resettling prisoners.

However, the report found there was only capacity for two thirds of the prison population to take part in "meaningful" daily activities, education or training.

"This has a direct impact on prisoners' chance of successful resettlement," the report said.

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