HMP Gartree: Increase in violence at 'dark and dingy' prison

HMP Gartree, near Market Harborough, detains about 640 inmates serving long-term or indeterminate sentences

A prison described as "dark and dingy" by inspectors has reported an increase in violence.

HMP Gartree, in Leicestershire, reported 111 incidents between 1 December 2021 and 30 November 2022, compared to 82 in the previous year.

A report into the Category B prison by an independent monitoring board also found parts of the building were in a state of disrepair.

The Ministry of Justice said repair work "has now begun".

A statement said £100m has been invested in security measures and "is helping to reduce violence at the prison".

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said an investigation by the independent monitoring board found there were 53 assaults on staff by prisoners, a "worrying increase of 10 on the year before", while prisoner-on-prisoner assaults were up by 19.

The report said drugs and other banned items such as phones, weapons, smoking paraphernalia and "hooch" continued to be found, with items linked to levels of debt, violence and bullying in the jail.

'Unacceptable'

Some items were brought in during visits, leading to arrests by police and a body scanner being used in the reception, while drones had also been used to smuggle in contraband.

Self-harm had also increased, from 223 incidents in 2021 to 242 in 2022, with 27 classed as "near-misses" that required hospital treatment.

Out of nine deaths during the period covered by the report, four were Covid-related and two were believed to have been self-inflicted.

Despite repairs being recommended following an inspection in 2020, some scheduled work had still yet to begin, with the showers described as being in an "unacceptable state" and inspectors "dismayed at the non-existent progress on improvements" in some areas.

"Prisoners should not have to live in, and staff should not have to work in, such conditions," said Tim Norman, chairman of the Gartree board.

"While we recognise the hard work of staff, we remain concerned at the increased level of violence and are dismayed at the lack of progress on necessary repairs to the fabric and infrastructure."

Concerns were also raised about a high turnover of staff at the prison, but relations between staff and inmates were described as positive, with other praised elements including additional employment opportunities and qualifications for prisoners, and improvements to the complaints system.