Violence rises 'substantially' at prison - watchdog

Rates of violence have risen "substantially" in three years at HMP Gartree in Leicestershire, a watchdog has found.

HM Inspectorate of Prisons made an unannounced visit in August and found rates of violence at the prison had increased by 53%, and the number of assaults on staff had risen by 49% since its last inspection in 2023.

Inspectors also said rates of self-harm had "doubled" - but remained below the average for Category B training prisons - and support for prisoners in crisis was "too limited".

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesperson said the report, published on Monday, showed "signs of progress" and that the rate of serious assaults had fallen by 20% in the prison.

"Drugs remained readily available and continued to fuel debt, violence and instability," the report from HM Inspectorate of Prisons said.

"Three confirmed drug-related deaths since the last inspection illustrated the scale of the challenge."

It added: "In our survey, around half of prisoners reported having felt unsafe at some point during their time at the prison, and approximately a quarter said they currently felt unsafe, but this was similar to findings at comparator prisons.

"Leaders told us that the illicit prison economy was a key driver of violence, with debt and associated bullying contributing to many assaults."

The watchdog said leaders at the prison acknowledged drugs were "readily available" and, during their visit, inspectors "detected the smell of illicit substances in use".

According to the report, since the previous inspection, there had been three confirmed deaths involving the use of illicit substances, as well as two further non-natural deaths.

"Leaders told us that drones were the main route of ingress for illicit items, and good multi-agency work with the police was helping to address this.

"The security team were aware of other routes of ingress and managed these risks, for example, by operating enhanced gate security 24 hours a day.

"The governor had appointed a dedicated drug strategy lead during the previous year, and work to develop recovery support within the prison had improved," it said.

The report also detailed that the installation of window grilles to tackle the increased entry of drugs via drones was "imminent".

However, the report said preparation for release "remained reasonably good" and there was evidence of "committed staff working hard to support progression".

"The challenge for leaders now is to extend the standards and positive culture evident in the prison's specialist units and replicate them across the wider establishment," it added.

The MoJ spokesperson added: "The government inherited prisons in crisis, but this report shows signs of progress at HMP Gartree, with improvements in leadership, safety and physical security to tackle the flow of drugs.

"The rate of serious assaults has also fallen by 20%, but we know there is more to do.

"That's why former Home Secretary Amber Rudd is leading an independent review to deliver safer prisons, cut reoffending, and keep the public safe."

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