HMP Whitemoor: Jail was dirtiest ever seen by prison inspector

A maximum security jail has been described as being the "dirtiest" prison a chief inspector had ever seen.

HM Inspectorate of Prisons found HMP Whitemoor was in need of "urgent attention" after overflowing bins, rodent infestations and blood stains were spotted during an inspection.

Charlie Taylor, chief inspector of prisons, said the "squalid" conditions were a sign of wider concerns.

The Prison Service said it was making changes to improve cleanliness.

HMP Whitemoor, in Cambridgeshire, holds men serving long or indeterminate sentences and who are considered to pose a significant risk of harm to the public.

HM Inspectorate of Prisons said two-thirds of prisoners said they had experienced some form of victimisation from staff and men spent most of their time locked alone in their cells. Inmates also described a sense of hopelessness.

In his report, Mr Taylor said: "Leaders at Whitemoor rightly prioritised the security and keeping staff and prisoners safe, but the focus was on procedure - searching, controlled unlocks, maintaining the perimeter and providing support to some particularly risky individuals.

"They had failed to pay sufficient attention to the other things that motivate prisoners to behave, such as a predictable regime, cleanliness, access to work and education, and sentence progression."

He went on: "There is no better sign of decline in a prison than a lack of cleanliness and at Whitemoor the wings were the dirtiest I have seen since I became chief inspector.

"Floors, walls, serveries and prisoners' kitchens were filthy, there was rubbish lying around and bins were overflowing."

Mr Taylor added: "Prisoners said cleaning materials such as mop heads were, for some inexplicable reason, in short supply.

"The rigidity of the regime meant that cleaners were unlocked for as little as an hour a day, which evidently did not give them enough time to do their job.

"When I walked round the jail, they frequently complained to me about the dirt, a contrast to their cells which most men kept in immaculate condition."

The chief inspector said a large patch of what appeared to be dried blood was seen on a landing floor and the stain was not cleaned up for more than two days during the inspection.

"Nobody should be held in the squalid conditions that we saw," said Mr Taylor.

"The way a prison is maintained sends a strong signal about its general healthiness."

He said he hoped Whitemoor would use the inspection findings as an "opportunity to reflect and hit reset".

A Prison Service spokesperson said: "We are making changes at HMP Whitemoor to improve cleanliness and are conducting a review of work and training so there is greater focus on rehabilitation."

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