Damning report highlights violence in Doncaster prison

The newly published report from the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, which follows an inspection a year ago, said violence was on the up at the category B men’s prison with assaults on prisoners and staff at a ‘record high’.

However John Hewitson, director of the 1,145-capacity jail, said there has been a downward trend in assaults since the inspection.

In the ECPT’s report, Doncaster prison, as well as Liverpool and Wormwood Scrubs jails, were scrutinised, with the committee calling for more money to be invested to prevent further violence.

The report said: “The ECPT recommends the UK authorities ensure that far greater investment in preventing violence – both prisoner-on-prisoner and prisoner-on-staff - is undertaken at Doncaster, Liverpool and Wormwood Scrubs prisons and across the wider prison estate.”

The committee noted a high level of serious violence at Serco-run Doncaster Prison with 215 assaults recorded in the first four months of 2019, after 827 recorded attacks in 2018 and 631 in 2017.

Incidents recorded over a two-week period included a prisoner who stabbed a fellow inmate while he was asleep in bed and a member of staff who needed medical treatment after a prisoner threw a kettle full of boiling water over her.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “This government has made its commitment to safe, secure and decent prisons very clear.

“That’s why we are creating 10,000 new places and investing in new security measures to tackle the drugs and contraband that undermine safety.”

Mr Hewitson said: “Since the Council of Europe’s visit in 2019, there has been a downward trend in assaults, a fall in the positive mandatory drug testing rate and we have put in place further measures to address violence.

“Recently, HM Inspector commented In his report in January how determined everyone here is to improve the situation we face.

“Clearly there is much to do, but we share his optimism for the future.”​​​​​​​​​​​​​​