Kent jail put into emergency measures
HMP Swaleside discovered to be dangerously unsafe for prisoners and staff
HMP Swaleside in Kent has been put into emergency measures.
Chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor has served an urgent notification for the prison, on the Isle of Sheppey, after discovering dangerously unsafe conditions for prisoners and staff in an unannounced visit earlier this month.
Prison inspectors heard from inmates at the Category B jail who were too frightened to go to health appointments or use the gym because of fears of violence.
In a letter to Justice Secretary David Lammy issuing the notice, Mr Taylor described "very high levels of violence" as affecting every aspect of prison life, with a third of prisoners surveyed saying they had been assaulted and three quarters felt unsafe.
Drug-taking was "rife", drones were regularly dropping contraband into the prison, including knives, and inspectors also saw widespread graffiti, fire damage, broken furniture and mouldy showers.
Attempts to restore order were also described as "wholly insufficient and inhumane" as a new regime allowed 44% of the prison's inmates out of their cells for only 30 minutes on most weekdays.
Mr Taylor also said it was "shameful" such a risky prison had been left without a permanent governor in charge for many months in 2024 and 2025.
"Many hardworking staff were doing an impressive job in extremely difficult circumstances, but during our inspection we were very troubled by a palpable level of tension and a pervasive sense of despair in the jail," he said.
"The appalling outcomes we found at Swaleside, holding some of the most dangerous men in the country, represent serious failings by leaders in the Prison Service to address the systemic problems at this troubled jail."
The emergency measure was introduced in 2017 as a way to raise immediate concerns following an inspection, which requires a response and action plan by the Justice Secretary within 28 days.