Alert as Featherstone Prison given bottom safety rating

Safety is of ‘serious concern’ according to prison inspectors, who have given the 687-capacity jail the lowest rating of one out of four in the category.

Attacks on staff have more than doubled in a year from 23 to 50 last year, and assaults in general also rose from 146 to 192.

The annual report on prisons, which was released by the Ministry of Justice, also revealed safety concerns at young offenders institution Swinfen Hall near Lichfield, which was given the second-lowest rating of two out of four by HMIP.

Oakwood, a 1,600-capacity Category C prison next to Featherstone, and Brinsford YOI, which holds 577 inmates near the same site just outside Wolverhampton, were given a rating of three, meaning safety was meeting targets.

This is despite assaults at Oakwood rising in a year from 263 to 445 in 2016, including 152 on assaults on staff.

HMP Birmingham at Winson Green, which was the scene of serious rioting, was also given a rating of one and attacks there rose overall from 518 to 914.

Safety levels at Stafford Prison – where disgraced star Rolf Harris was jailed until May – were ‘exceptional’ and it was given the highest rating.

Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, said: “HMP Featherstone has been facing some significant challenges of late and these figures reflect the challenges they’re having to deal with.

“We’ve seen an increase in prison officer numbers which I hope will have a significant impact in terms of improving things going forward. I think the Ministry of Justice needs to make sure it’s giving the right level of support to HMP with regards to the issue.

“The Justice Secretary needs to make sure there’s a firm grip on challenges of all prisons. We hope to see a distinct improvement at Featherstone.”

Justice secretary David Lidington insisted the figures reinforce the importance of making quick progress on prison safety.

He said “Since becoming Justice Secretary last month, my top priority has been on improving safety and security in our prisons.

“I have seen first-hand the challenges our dedicated and hardworking prison staff face. Boosting the frontline is critical to achieving safety and the number of prison officers we are recruiting is rising, with the number of new prison officers joining the service at its highest level since 2010. ”

The report also showed two inmates were released from Birmingham and one from Oakwood by mistake in 2016/17.

Nationally, 71 inmates were released in error, and there were four prison escapes. A spokeswoman for the MoJ said prisoners were sometimes wrongly released due to reasons including an inmate being given extra time due to bad behaviour.

Featherstone has previously been dubbed as ‘out of control’ by chairman of Featherstone and Brinsford Parish Council, Frank Beardsmore.

And shocking footage revealed earlier this year showed the moment prisoners brawled behind bars at the South Staffordshire jail. Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, called on a reduction in the population of prisons.

“The rising tide of violence and human misery gets higher and higher as chronic overcrowding and staff shortages continue to drive the prison system into chaos,” he said.

“By taking bold but sensible steps to reduce the prison population, we can save lives and prevent more people being swept away into deeper currents of crime and despair.”

In 2016, there were also 366 assaults at Brinsford, 313 at Swinfen and 36 in Stafford.

Managing director for custodial and detention services at G4S, which operates Oakwood Prison, Jerry Petherick, said: “This latest data from the Ministry of Justice reflects a very challenging operating environment marked by increases in assaults and self-harm, with safety continuing to be undermined by the impact of drugs.

“In this difficult context it is encouraging that four of the five establishments we operate, including HM Prison Oakwood, are rated at the second highest level and hitting the majority of targets.

"Performance at HM Prison Birmingham was moderated down to the lowest level by assessors and after the disorder at the prison last year, we are making progress in our action plan to reduce staff turnover, set firm boundaries for prisoners and improve consistency in challenging those who turn to violence.”