Troubled jail now one of the most 'impressive'

A prison with a troubled history has become one of the country's most "impressive jails," inspectors have said.

HMP Haverigg, near Barrow in Cumbria, houses about 490 convicted sex offenders and had previously been forced to close for several weeks after a riot.

However, in recent years the prison has increased efforts to rehabilitate prisoners by finding them jobs on farms and in coffee shops.

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, said the jail had become "safe, decent and effective".

He said: "Strong leadership by an experienced governor and his highly capable deputy are making Haverigg one of the most impressive jails in the country.

"It is safe, decent and effective and I have no doubt that, with the current staff and leadership team, it will continue to flourish.

"I hope leaders from other prisons take the trouble to visit and learn from its many achievements."

Other work given to inmates includes growing food for the prison, working in the smokery and maintaining the grounds and buildings.

The Inspectorate of Prisons report said the jail had created a curriculum "aimed at giving prisoners the skills that would help them get work on release".

"This was critically important because of the limited employment opportunities for men convicted of sexual offences," it said.

The report also found that the prison had built up a network of local employers willing to give jobs to those released on temporary licence.

Prison education charity Nacro's chief executive, Campbell Robb, said the jail helped inmates develop skills to "turn their lives around" and reduce reoffending.

"Giving those in prison responsibility for growing their own food, working in community jobs and activities to reduce isolation and better prepare people for work on release, have all contributed to the low, 6% recall rate," he said.

HM Haverigg has had a chequered past and in 2011 its leadership was told by inspectors that drug abuse and bullying had become a problem.

Efforts were made to tackle problems, but despite a reduction in violence, 40% of inmates still said they felt unsafe in 2017.

The same year a riot broke out, which led to the prison being closed for four weeks.

Two years later, an investigation found 17 inmates were caught high on drugs during a single day of "mass intoxication".

The jail was previously classed as a category C trainer prison but was turned into a category D jail in 2019, as part of efforts to improve the site.

In the most recent report, inspectors praised the prison's leadership for empowering staff and prisoners to develop a "rehabilitative prison".

Mr Taylor added: "It was an absolute pleasure to visit this safe, decent and effective prison."

Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.