HMP Northumberland 'suffering' with violence and drugs

HMP Northumberland is a category C jail privatised in 2013

High levels of violence and drugs at one of the country's biggest prisons have been highlighted by a watchdog.

HMP Northumberland recorded 142 violent incidents, including 29 assaults on staff, in the six months before a July inspection.

HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) said 61% of inmates also told inspectors it was easy to obtain drugs.

Operator Sodexo said it had increased drug tests and planned to install more CCTV cameras.

The category C training prison has 1,300 men and has been privately run since 2013.

During the last inspection in 2014, the number of recorded violent incidents in six months was 60.

The latest inspection report also found the percentage of prisoners testing positive for drugs had risen from 17% to almost 34%.

'Suffering more severely'

Chief Inspector of Prisons Peter Clarke said: "Prison leaders across the nation are aware of the destabilising and destructive effect of drugs in too many of our prisons.

"HMP Northumberland was far from immune to this phenomenon and indeed was suffering more severely than many other prisons."

He added there was a "very clear determination" on the part of the prison's leadership to make improvements.

Sodexo said: "We continue to work hard to tackle drugs and violence, which are a challenge across the whole prison estate.

"We have strengthened our violence reduction team, introduced more drug testing and secured funding for additional CCTV equipment."

But the report praised the "excellent" residential unit dedicated to older inmates and said a weekly club provided "purposeful activities" for over-50s such as carpet bowls, guest speakers, quizzes and table games.