Prison taken over by government 'is in crisis'

A prison taken over by the government after a series of failings is "in crisis" and "not safe enough", a new report has found.

HMP Lowdham Grange saw six deaths in custody in 2023 in the months after it transferred from Serco to Sodexo, the first time a prison had moved from one private contractor to another in the UK.

In the new report, the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB), a statutory body, said conditions had been hampered by illegal drugs, "associated violence" and inexperienced staff.

The Category B jail was taken over on an interim basis last December, but the government confirmed it would be a permanent move in May after another highly critical report.

In a statement, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said there had been "positive change".

A report by the IMB, published on Friday, said that in 2023, Lowdham Grange was affected by "some fairly unique circumstances" relating to the transfer of responsibility from Serco to Sodexo, which it said was done with "very little guidance or experience".

After Sodexo took over, concerns the board had "regarding safety and the overall functioning of the prison escalated", with further "increasingly worrying events" also attracting attention.

In March last year, after the transition, three inmates died in custody, including David Richards, former head of the Dreamboys stripper group.

Another prisoner died in October, with two more deaths in custody taking place in November.

Inquests into the deaths of the three prisoners in March 2023 are set to take place at Nottingham Coroner's Court in September, with dates for the other three inmates yet to be confirmed.

The IMB said inspectors carried out a visit in January, but "no meaningful or insufficient progress has been made since their May 2023 inspection".

"Safety in the prison deteriorated throughout the whole reporting period," the report said.

"Outcomes are being strongly influenced by the ready availability of illegal drugs along with the associated violence, combined with inexperienced staff who lack the skills and confidence to successfully manage often difficult prisoners."

The IMB said more than 50% of mandatory drug tests carried out by the end of the year were positive, up from 35% in May 2023, with "daily incidents of prisoners being under the influence of psychoactive substances and/or alcohol".

Drones have "increasingly" been used to bring in "unknown numbers" of drugs, the report said, while a cleaning product was removed after "widespread evidence" it was being used to create the drug Spice.

A search of the prison also found "substantial stashes of weapons, phones and other contraband" in four of the five house blocks, while the jail was said by the IMB to be "filthy, dirty and rubbish-strewn for the majority of the year".

"Poor living conditions contributed towards instability and unrest among prisoners," the report said.

Prisoners in need or at risk of self-harm are not being supported, the IMB said, with healthcare services "under great pressure" and mental wellbeing "a significant concern" due to "prolonged periods of time spent by prisoners alone in their cells".

While mentioning fewer opportunities for activities and education at the prison, the IMB also "noted with great sadness and regret" the in-house TV channel led by prisoners "has been abandoned".

The IMB criticised the response of Sodexo managers to its attempts to raise concerns, saying it is "disappointed to report that it struggled to garner co-operation".

"[The] working relationship with prison staff and management may not be as strong as in previous years with the prior prison operator," the report said.

"While the board recognises that there has been a weakened and continually changing carousel of [leadership] members for the whole year, the work of the [IMB] has been frustrated time and again by failures of Sodexo managers to respond to legitimate enquiries and requests about issues affecting prisoners, and to keep the board updated on ongoing investigations."

A Sodexo spokesperson said Lowdham Grange "is a prison facing a unique set of challenges", and said the company had "worked tirelessly" with the prison and probation service "to improve stability and deliver the significant improvements expected".

“At this time, we are focused on working alongside the MoJ and [prison and probation services] to ensure a safe, secure and seamless transfer for everyone who lives and works at the prison," they said.

The MoJ said: "The prison system is in crisis and we are gripping the situation.

"As the Chief Inspector recognised, there has been positive change since we took over the running of the prison - including extra officers and bolstered security - and we'll continue to drive improvements further to help more offenders turn their back on crime and improve staff safety."

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