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UK: Bullying and intimidation claims at "squalid" prison

01 November 2005

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An inspection of HMP Leeds by the Chief Inspector of Prisons found the jail to be squalid and overcrowded with inmates claiming to be bullied and intimidated by staff. The surprise inspection in August found that relationships between staff and prisoners had deteriorated since 2003, with inspectors commenting on the fact that staff referred to prisoners as "bodies" or "cons". The segregation unit was run on "militaristic lines" and was holding 50% more inmates than its certified normal accommodation. Prisoners have to apply to shower, and inspectors roundly condemned the over-use of formal control and restraint removals and the use of the unfurnished "special cell." Chief Inspector Anne Owers condemned B wing as unfit for habitation, poorly ventilated and with reports of rat infestation. Inmates complained of brutality and intimidation and Ms Owers noted that use of force was common and that inspectors were not satisfied force was used as a last resort.

Report of an Inspection at HMP Leeds 17 January 2006

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