Violence and 'significant' drug use uncovered at new prison

High rates of violence and "significant" drug use have been uncovered at a new Leicestershire prison. Inmates at HMP Fosse Way told His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons during a

visit that they “felt unsafe”. Incidents include the recent death of a prisoner after two fellow inmates attacked him, kicking and stamping on him, and leaving him with a fatal neck injury.

Data showed that there had been a “steady rise” in violence at the Glen Parva prison over the 12 months before the inspection, with violence against staff specifically also increasing. The

inspection team said there was also often “a smell of cannabis” in the housing blocks, and that the number of positive drugs tests were “among the highest” of all Category C prisons – those

which hold inmates deemed a moderate risk of escape and pose a moderate risk to public safety. The inspection revealed “significant concerns” over safety at HMP Fosse Way, inspectors said,

but the three other areas they looked at – respect, purposeful activity and preparation for release – were all rated as being “reasonably good”. READ MORE: Police release CCTV image after

Rolls-Royce stolen in Leicester city centre The visit was the first review of the service - which is run privately by Serco - since it opened in 2023. Prison director for the company Wyn

Jones said Serco was “overall pleased” with the inspectors' findings. He said the company's focus "[remained] on ensuring our prison is safe", and that there was an

“action plan in place” for improvements. Mr Jones added that Serco had a “zero-tolerance approach” to drugs at HMP Fosse Way, and was working with police to crackdown on the issue.

Inspectors said they found that “illicit drugs” were “widely available” at the prison, and branded it a “threat to the stability” of the prison. They said such items were being brought in

through the gate by staff or prisoners, or being thrown over the fence. They acknowledged that some steps had been taken to crackdown on the issue, including investing in "fence

wires" to stop prisoners climbing into the areas into which drugs were thrown. The report added that tackling the issues had been identified as “a priority” by prison leadership, but

said that not enough was being done to address demand for drugs or provide support for those who engaged with substance misuse. Several members of staff had been “arrested or dismissed” for

their involvement in “inappropriate or illegal” activities, the report continued. Leaders had “taken decisive action” to deal with this “staff corruption”, inspectors ruled. Inmates told

inspectors they did not feel safe at the prison, with staff “failing” to take action to tackle poor behaviour. Some employees, the report added, “lacked the confidence or inclination to

challenge low-level poor behaviour, allowing prisoners to flout rules on, for example, gambling and vaping”. Some 42 per cent of prisoners said they had experienced “bullying or

victimisation” in the prison, compared to 29 per cent in similar centres. There were also around 360 new charges brought against prisoners each month, most of which were for “possession of

unauthorised articles, incidents of violence and positive drug test results”, inspectors said. The use of force, including use of incapacitant sprays and batons, at the prison was also high

at 677 incidents in 12 months, although inspectors described that number as “comparable” to other Category C prisons. These most frequently occurred to prevent an assault or in response to

prisoners refusing to return to their cells. In some cases, force was used before de-escalation attempts were made. Inspectors said there was no strategy in place to try to reduce reliance

on “such extreme force”. Delays in medical treatment was also raised as a point of concern in the report, with patients waiting weeks for routine GP appointments and for “urgent” hospital

visits. Some 29 per cent of patients had experienced delays in accessing hospital care due to “a lack of prison staff to escort them” or insufficient slots available, and there was a “high

number” of cancelled appointments. There had been “no resolution” to this, the report stated. There were further delays to prisoners being transferred to secure beds under the Mental Health

Assessment Act, with one having been waiting 112 days at the time of the inspection. However, access to nurses was available the same day, and mental health problems were generally “cared

for well”, the report added. The prison was praised for the amount of time prisoners were able to be out of their cells, and the “wide range” of education, work and training opportunities

provided. There was also praise for the range of activities available to inmates, and prisoners were encouraged to stay in touch with their families, the report added. When it came to

prisoner releases, Government-led changes to determine which inmates were eligible for home detention meant that more people were being let out earlier. However, management of those releases

by the prison was not “sufficiently robust”, inspectors said, and this led to around 70 per cent of eligible releases being delayed. Inspectors said this was “among the highest” rate they

had seen. Ultimately, however, inspectors said that leaders and staff “should be congratulated on what they had achieved so far” and “encouraged to maintain the momentum they have created”.

Mr Jones said: “Overall we are pleased with the first inspection of HMP Fosse Way. The report has praised a number of key areas including leadership and preparing prisoners for release into

the community. Our focus remains on ensuring our prison is safe and we have an action plan in place to improve this. This includes an accommodation strategy for prisoners who feel unsafe to

move to quieter house blocks. Our zero-tolerance approach to drugs in the prison continues and our work with the police has led to a significant reduction in the availability of drugs within

Fosse Way.”